Cork 2005: The awakening cermony

[Colm]

Who was at it?
A few of us went along to it. I thought it was excellent, really spectacular with all the fire, the lights, the fireworks, the special effects etc.
The crowds were amazing, apparently 80,000 people on the streets with about 30,000 getting access to the quays for the awakening.
Cork has always been the envy of the rest of Ireland but this cermony must surely have made the rest of Europe feel a bit jealous of us aswell!!

[Gary]

I was speaking to some people who felt it was disspointing, but I certainly couldnt for the life of me see their point of view.

If only for the last few minutes, with the European National Anthem on the speakers, when all the building tops started exploding with colour and fireworks, and fireball launching into the Lee.

Absolutely fantastic, and fair play to those who organised it. There are many begrudgers, but thats an Irish thing at this point.

The Wheres Me Culture gig in the Mardyke wasn't half bad either.

[patsh]

I was on Camden quay, and with the exception of the last few minutes of the Ode to Joy piece, on the whole felt it was disappointing. I've seen and been involved with many outdoor events like this, and felt the attitude regarding the fireworks was the usual "we don't have many fireworks displays in Cork so throwing a few thousand euros worth into the air will do the job" attitude. They were too far away, didn't have a focal point, and would have been much more spectacular had they been set-off from the roofs of some city centre buildings or the middle of the river itself.
A little more imagination could have made it so much better, and the pagent was wasted across the two bridges, it would have been much better to have moved it down to the swing basin where people could see the whole thing as one piece and the fireworks could have been there as well.
It's not begrudgery to criticise something that could have been so, so much better with a little more imagination. You can have a "sure anything thats put on is grand" attitude and thats fine, but some people demand slightly more especially when it would not be too hard to get that little more.

[A face]

I think it's great that Cork got it and all that, but all I keep hearing about is this knitting project which sounds like one of those 'let's try and get rid of grant money quickly' ideas...

I dunno ... fairly play to the knitters like !!

The thing is ... everyone was asked to submit ideas and the ideas will only ever be as good as the ones put forward. I mean if the ICA or whoever it was, want to get into the guiness book of records with the most loopback, over and around thingy whazzits, "look at the size of that jumper" then more power to them ..... i'd still love to know what City will be involved in .... i would be good to know soon.

[thecorner]

this cermony must surely have made the rest of Europe feel a bit jealous of us aswell!!

can u name who had this honour the last few years...............i cant

couldnt give a crap about it.........just a load of b0llox

and colm ,....u were in town and wouldnt drop into flahertys to us

[Troy.McClure]

I was on Camden quay, and with the exception of the last few minutes of the Ode to Joy piece, on the whole felt it was disappointing. I've seen and been involved with many outdoor events like this, and felt the attitude regarding the fireworks was the usual "we don't have many fireworks displays in Cork so throwing a few thousand euros worth into the air will do the job" attitude. They were too far away, didn't have a focal point, and would have been much more spectacular had they been set-off from the roofs of some city centre buildings or the middle of the river itself.
A little more imagination could have made it so much better, and the pagent was wasted across the two bridges, it would have been much better to have moved it down to the swing basin where people could see the whole thing as one piece and the fireworks could have been there as well.
It's not begrudgery to criticise something that could have been so, so much better with a little more imagination. You can have a "sure anything thats put on is grand" attitude and thats fine, but some people demand slightly more especially when it would not be too hard to get that little more.

Was in the same place myself and have to agree with you. The tv programme was good (except for the live presenters) but it was a shame the sound kept going at vital points (ie like when they were showing the X )

[Risteard]

I missed most of the action cos of work.
It wrecked my head listening to the fireworks going off outside.
From what i've seen it was some spectacle.
Its easy to be cynical about a fireworks display but the Spraoi thing looked brilliant. Shame we don't have agroup like that in Cork.
Twas a good night for the kids really i suppose.
There was a load of crap articles in the echo today but one good one about the bad irish attitude to things like this and saying that we're not really an arty city like Galway and hoping this would change.

Having said all this the whole Capitol of Cultire idea is politicol ballsology.
But anything that brings people together like the other night is great as far as i'm concerned.

[Pablo]

i thought it was an amazing spectacle. i was on Lavitts quay and it was spine tinglingly good at times.


So proud of our city

[patsh]

saying that we're not really an arty city like Galway and hoping this would change.

Bullcrap.
Galway has its arts festival, Film Fleadh, the Taibhdhearc and the theatre company and a few events during the year.
Cork has treble the amount of arts activity that Galway has, but because so many writers in Dublin like their little drunken weekends in Galway, they push the myth that Galway is where its at.

[Risteard]

I'd like to think we're heading the right direction alright.
Where Galway is ahead though is the action on the streets.
Ya can't move up there without bumping into a busker, juggler, dancer what have ya. Although they do have the advantage of their main streets being narrow and pedestrianised.

[Gary]

Ya can't move up there without bumping into a busker, juggler, dancer what have ya.

Maybe that has more to do with chronic unemployment and lack of education than actual artiness or culture

[Colm]

can u name who had this honour the last few years...............i cant

couldnt give a crap about it.........just a load of b0llox

and colm ,....u were in town and wouldnt drop into flahertys to us

Lille last year, Liverpool next..... but I only know that because it's been all over the papers recently.

I think it's a little bit harsh to say it's a load of boll0x. I probably wouldn't be in to most of the events organised for it myself but it is a nice honour for the City.

As for Flaherty's, you can go for a pint any day. The awakening ceremony was a once off and it would have been a shame to miss it! I was just dissappointed that I had a prior engagement and couldn't stay around town afterwards.

[Peadar]

I think it's a little bit harsh to say it's a load of boll0x.

Studies suggest that any city which has previously held this honour experiences a significant increase in tourist numbers and that the numbers stay up even when the honour has passed to another city.

[patsh]

can u name who had this honour the last few years...............i cant couldnt give a crap about it.........just a load of b0llox

Its up to each City to make what they will of it. Cork as a city will be much more well known around Europe because of this, and the more intersting and varied the program, the more visitors we will get. There have been significant improvements to the infrastructure of the city already, as things like the rebuilding of Patrick's street became an imperative once Cork was selected to host the event.

Unfortunately, the response form the business community and central Government has been lukewarm, and Cork has a budget of only €13.5 million.
Contrast this with cities like Glasgow, who had budgets of ST£50 million plus.

At the very least, the city will look a lot better, and will be more of an attraction for tourists after the year. With a little luck, the city will gain a lot more than this.

[Colm]

Its up to each City to make what they will of it. Cork as a city will be much more well known around Europe because of this, and the more intersting and varied the program, the more visitors we will get. There have been significant improvements to the infrastructure of the city already, as things like the rebuilding of Patrick's street became an imperative once Cork was selected to host the event.

That's a good point. At the very least it put a deadline of 2005 on getting Pana, Oliver Plunkett st etc all up to scratch, otherwise these works could have dragged on a lot longer.

The City will definately become more well known around Europe over the course of the year. Euronews did a nice feature on Saturday's ceremony over the weekend.

[pete]

I'd think that the increased tourism numbers are probably just down to the extra promotion of the city. Be surprised if many people actually travelled specifically to a city because of City of Culture title.

Culture thing can't hurt but might be different if cork counties 350k people had to pay the €40 each out of their own pockets...?

[Éanna]

Cork has treble the amount of arts activity that Galway has, but because so many writers in Dublin like their little drunken weekends in Galway, they push the myth that Galway is where its at.

Much as i love Cork, there is a great buzz around galway that you don't find in many other cities. The atmosphere there is different to any other city in ireland. I can see why a lot of people love it up there

[Gary]

That's a good point. At the very least it put a deadline of 2005 on getting Pana, Oliver Plunkett st etc all up to scratch, otherwise these works could have dragged on a lot longer.

Well the Grand Parade outside Argos is dug up again, so it seems to me the fools were preparing for just one day

Much as i love Cork, there is a great buzz around galway that you don't find in many other cities. The atmosphere there is different to any other city in ireland. I can see why a lot of people love it up there

So what? If the pre-requisite to hosting such an event is what is already in place, it would only be in places like Amsterdam/Paris/Brugge. Of the afore mentioned, the City of Culture has been a big failure, as it didnt really make a difference one way or other.

To put it in Galway would be similar. Cork has been deprived of any tourist oppurtunities, now it has a big one, and hopefully something can be made of it.

[patsh]

Much as i love Cork, there is a great buzz around galway that you don't find in many other cities. The atmosphere there is different to any other city in ireland. I can see why a lot of people love it up there

Thats because the whole "scene" is condensed into a small little area of a few streets. I don't particularly like the "we're from Galway, we drink and we're mad" vibe that a lot of Galwegians come out with. After working there for a while and also with a large gang of them down here, it gets pretty tedious after a while.

BTW, I'm not having a go at everybody from there, it's just that the whole "festival town" deal is completely overdone. All Irish people know how to enjoy themselves, and therte are a lot of activities, sporting, cultural and social going on around the country, and Galway does not have the monopoly on these that some would have you believe.

[Éanna]

yeah, I think the size of the town has a lot to do with it- there are one or to towns in spain which are very similar (Salamanca, Granada) as well as small areas of Madrid and Barcelona which have that kind of atmosphere as well. Re Galway- It can be a bit overplayed maybe, but I love the place