Day Thirty-Four - 14/10/2012 - Cork

     A city as old as Cork is bound to have a few dark marks on its history.  The bustling St. Patrick's street, home to many stores, and thriving center of commerce and entertainment today, was leveled during the War of Independence.  On the 12th of December, 1920, Saint Patrick's Street laid in ruins, the embers of a still-burning fire all that remained of many of the buildings.  The statue of Father Matthew stood watch over the wreckage of a once-great street.
     The night before British forces deliberately set fire to several blocks of buildings on the street.  During the course of the fire, the City Hall and Carnegie Library were burned to the ground.  In addition to the loss of the physical buildings, years of records, and collections of books were lost.
     Eye-witness accounts recall British troops setting fire to the buildings, but a full public investigation was denied by the Chief Secretary Sir Hamar Greewood, marking the political climate of the time.  A later British Army enquiry officially placed the blame on renegade members of a company of Auxiliaries.
     The present-day Dunnes Stores red-brick building was the only building in the whole block to survive the fire.