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Shandon Street

Church and steeple of St. Anne's Shandon
Location	Cork, Ireland
Major junctions	North Gate Bridge ,Blarney Street and Cathedral Rd

Shandon Street, formerly known as Mallow Lane, is a street in Cork City, Ireland and is a prominent retail area of the northern part of the city.

Etymology

The name Shandon stems from the Irish Sean Dún, meaning "Old Fort". It is believed that this refers to the ringfort of the MacCarthaigh family, who occupied the area around 1000 A.D.

History

The area was originally developed by the Normans, as a main route to the north gate of the city, and rose in prominence due to its proximity to Shandon Castle, the administrative centre of the province of Munster. The area was heavily damaged during the 1690 Siege of Cork, but subsequent rebuilding saw the erection of the landmark St. Anne's Church. The North Cathedral was also erected at the top of Shandon Street in 1624, however, the present day structure is the fifth cathedral to occupy the site, having built rebuilt numerous times, most recently following an 1820 fire. Commercial activity at this time included a regular cattle market, where large numbers of animals were exported to the West Indies, eastern US, Britain and Canada.

In response to a 1582 famine and outbreak of plague, Stephen Skiddy, a Master Vintner willed funds to build a number of almshouses in the city. One such almshouse, built on the 18th century, and referred to as Skiddy's Almshouse is still standing adjacent to Shandon Street.

The 18th Century saw the development of the Butter Market in response to the penal laws, which indirectly encouraged commercial ventures among wealthy Catholic families. This led to the foundation of the Committee of Butter Merchants, who, in 1770, instated the inspection of butter exports. The increasing butter trade resulted in Shandon Street becoming an important international trading centre, and a focal point within the city. There was a notable diversity in standards of living in the area, with wealthy retailers living directly on the street, and many tenement halls on the numerous adjoining streets. Shandon Street was Home to Many shops,Bakeries,Hardware Stores,Sweet shops and Convenience Stores But Due to Many Being Sole Traders Many Shops Were Neglected When there Original Owners Died .

Recent development

The closure of the Butter Market in 1924 due to competition from continental Europe lead to a period of decline. Recent attempts at reversing the decline include the construction of the Cork Butter Museum and the Firkin Crane theatre. As part of the €15m Shandon Area Renewal Scheme, in 2004, Shandon Street was redeveloped. This included the renewal of paving and the replacement of derelict buildings with infill housing.

References

1. ^ "Shandon Street - Cork Past & Present". www.corkpastandpresent.ie. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
2. ^ "Cork Heritage - Northside Narratives: Shandon Street Heritage Trail". corkheritage.ie. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
3. "SHANDON STREET". Shandon Area History Group. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
4. ^ "Cathedral Shandon Area". Cathedral of St. Mary & St. Anne. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
5. "Archive: Buildings of Ireland: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage". www.buildingsofireland.ie. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
6. "Urban Renewal Capital Projects > Strategic Planning & Economic Development > Services > - CorkCity.ie". www.corkcity.ie. Retrieved 25 August 2017.