Cork International Exhibition (1902)

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, which also took place in Cork. At the time of the exhibition, Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom.

Cork International Exhibition
Water chute erected on the River Lee for the Exhibition
Overview
BIE-classUnrecognized exposition
NameCork International Exhibition
Area8 ha
Location
CountryUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
CityCork
VenueMardyke
Coordinates51.8961°N 8.4943°W / 51.8961; -8.4943
Timeline
OpeningSpring 1902
ClosureAutumn 1902

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] and Hadji Bey launched their Turkish Delight.[5]

One of the industrial exhibits was 'Engine 36' (pictured), built by Bury, Curtis, and Kennedy in 1847, to run services from Dublin to Cork.[6]

The Capuchin community of Cork's Holy Trinity Church organised a Father Mathew Pavilion, which included memorabilia of Mathew and wooden models of the church, and a fountain made of Portland cement.[7]

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 Queen Alexandra.[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.[8] Now known as Fitzgerald's Park, the park retains the original pavilion and fountain from the fair and also houses the Cork Public Museum.[9]

References
  1. "20th Century Cork > About Cork > CorkCity.ie". Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  2. "Cork's Beautiful Fitzgerald's Park, site of the International Exhibition of 1902/03". Archived from the original on 6 December 2011.
  3. "CORK INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION - 1902". Archived from the original on 5 February 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  4. "Economy and society in Cork in the early 20th century". Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  5. "A Brief History of Hadji Bey's, Ireland's Premier Turkish Delight". Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  6. Display board at Cork Station
  7. Curtin-Kelly, Patricia (2015). An Ornament to the City: Holy Trinity Church & the Capuchin Order. Dublin: The History Press Ireland. p. 111. ISBN 978 1 84588 861 9.
  8. "Museum > Services > - CorkCity.ie". Archived from the original on 18 November 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  9. "Discover Ireland | Fitzgerald Park. Cork City, Cork, Ireland South". Archived from the original on 30 July 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
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