Cork International Exhibition (1902)

Water chute erected on the River Lee for the Exhibition

The International Exhibition (sometimes Cork International Exhibition) was a world's fair held in Cork, Ireland, in 1902, 50 years after the first world's fair held in Ireland, in Cork. This was when Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom.

Organisation

Contemporary portraits of event organisers

Edward Fitzgerald, the then Lord Mayor of Cork, originally proposed the idea for the fair[1] which took place on 8 hectares of reclaimed marshland the Mardyke area of Cork. This area is now known as Fitzgerald's Park.[2] The exhibition opened in spring (between April[2] and 1 May [1][3]) and closed in autumn (September[2] or November).[1][3]

Exhibits and entertainment

Locomotive No. 36, now on display at Cork Kent station, exhibited at the 1902 exhibition

Exhibitions included a Canadian pavilion, art gallery, machinery hall and industrial hall.[3][4]

One of the industrial exhibits was 'Engine 36' (pictured), built by Bury, Curtis, and Kennedy to run services from Dublin to Cork.[5]

Entertainments included a water chute, a skating rink,[2] switchback railway, temperance restaurant, a creamery,[3] shooting gallery and an aquarium.[4]

Legacy

The immediate legacy was a follow on exhibition in 1903 which was visited by Edward VII and Princess Alexander.[2] After the second fair closed the grounds were donated to Cork Corporation for recreational use by the public[2] and opened to the public in 1906.[6] Now known as Fitzgerald's Park, the park retains the original pavilion and fountain from the fair and also houses the Cork Public Museum.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "20th Century Cork > About Cork > CorkCity.ie". Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Cork's Beautiful Fitzgerald's Park, site of the International Exhibition of 1902/03". Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "CORK INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION - 1902". Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Economy and society in Cork in the early 20th century". Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  5. ↑ Display board at Cork Station
  6. ↑ "Museum > Services > - CorkCity.ie". Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  7. ↑ "Discover Ireland | Fitzgerald Park. Cork City, Cork, Ireland South". Retrieved 7 February 2012.


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