Dates: 30 January to 6 March 2025 plus one 4-hour walking tour

Venue: West Wing 9, UCC 

Fee: €250

Closing date for registrations: 20th of January 2025.

Course Overview: 

It was Frank O’Connor who addressed Cork by the epithet “city of steps and steeples”. Cork has long been a place of commercial importance, largely due to the excellence of its harbour. The city's narrow alleys, waterways and Georgian architecture give it a distinctly Continental flavour. The city is dominated by the river Lee which separates into two channels creating an island in the centre where most of the city centre is built. Many of the city’s leading families became known as the “merchant princes” of Cork due to their power, prestige and money.  

This short course offers a survey of Cork’s architectural and cultural heritage with an emphasis on acquiring the skills used in local history studies. We will use a number of different material objects to recreate stories of the past including archaeological remains, maps and charts, paintings and visual culture, poetry and literature, official documents, architecture and the built environment.  

Significant buildings surveyed include: St. Finbarre’s Cathedral, Cork, St. Peter & Paul’s, Paul St., Cork; Honan Chapel; University College Cork; Butter Exchange; English Market; Shandon and Christ the King, Turner’s Cross; Royal Yacht Club, Cobh; St. Colman’s Cathedral Cobh.  

This course is ideal for those wishing to further their personal or professional interests in historical and cultural studies. 

Course Content: 

The lecture series and case studies will be opportunities to explore approaches to researching and writing local history.  

• Week 1: A survey of Cork’s built environment from the Middle Ages to the present;  
• Week 2: Cork during the Tudor and Elizabethan Reformations;
• Week 3: Cork during eighteenth century Georgian period;  
• Week 4: High Victorian Cork and Queen’s College;  
• Week 5: Celtic Revivalism and new visions of Irishness;   
• Week 6: The contemporary city.   

The lecture series ends with a four-hour walking tour of Cork city centre

Course Lecturer : 

Dr. James Cronin is educated as a cultural historian, broadcast journalist, and educator. He graduated from University College Cork and UCLan, Preston, Lancashire. He served internships with BBC Radio Cumbria (Carlisle) and Rough Shore (RS) Productions, film and media (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne).  

James has taught in the School of History, University College Cork (1992-99); St. John’s Central College of Further Education, Cork (2001-02); Crawford College of Art; Design, Cork (2001-02) and History of Art, UCC (2001-10). He currently teaches in the Centre for the Integration of Research Teaching and Learning (CIRTL), UCC (2012- ), Education Unit, Cork Prison (2017- ) and Adult Continuing Education, UCC (2002- ). 

James is an honorary research fellow in the Department of Information Studies, University College London. He reviews for the journals Teaching and Learning Inquiry and Global Intellectual History. He is on the editorial committee of a new journal Creative Research Methods. He is a core committee member on the US-based Decoding (and Disrupting) the Disciplines committee and is a reviewer on the UK-based Independent Research Ethics Committee. He recently joined RTÉ’s Brainstorm academic expert team. 

Requirements: 

Applicants must be at least 18 years old at course commencement. 

Contact Details for Further Information: 

Email: shortcourses@ucc.ie  

Please note our refund policy as follows: 

100% refund if student cancels 1 week prior to course commencement, less €50 processing fee.

100% refund if student's course is cancelled due to insufficient numbers.