Washington Street ( ga, Sráid Washington) is a street in central
Cork city
Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city' ...
, Ireland. Built in 1824, it runs from the old medieval town centre onto the site of the western marshes, and today links the Western Road and Lancaster Quay with the
Grand Parade.
History
The street, established in 1824, was originally named "Great George's Street" in honour of
King George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...
. In 1918, the people of Cork renamed it as a tribute to
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
. Popular opinion still holds that the renaming was done to quell altercations involving the local population and American sailors fraternizing with local women.
Events
In 1921, one member of the public was killed as police lorries on the street were attacked during the
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...
.
In 2000, one person was killed when the facade of a Washington Street building partially collapsed. Several premises on the street (and the street itself) were closed shortly afterwards to facilitate checks and works on other buildings in the area. The street was, again, temporarily closed in early March 2020 following another structural failure.
Buildings
Larger buildings on Washington Street include
Cork Courthouse (1828) and St Augustine's Catholic Church (1942). The street also has a number of bars, nightclubs, and restaurants.
See also
*
List of places named for George Washington
This is a list of memorials to George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and first president of the United States.
Federal holiday
Washington's Birthday has been a federal holiday in ...
References
{{Cork City
Roads in County Cork
Streets in Cork (city)