St Patrick's Street
{{Short description|One of the main streets of Cork, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox street
| name = St Patrick's Street
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = File:Cork1.jpg
| image_size = 260
| image_alt =
| length_m = 500
| caption = St. Patrick's Street looking south in 2006
| former_names =
| namesake = Saint Patrick
| alternate_name = Pana
| location = Cork, Ireland
| width =up to {{Convert|35|m}}
| coordinates = {{coord|51|53|55|N|8|28|20|W|region:IE_type:landmark|display=it}}
| junction = Grand Parade, Merchant's Quay, Lavitt's Quay
| known_for = shops, English Market
| status =
| direction_a = northeast
| terminus_a = Merchant's Quay, Bridge Street
| direction_b = southwest
| terminus_b =Grand Parade
| map_type = Ireland Cork Central
}}
St Patrick's Street ({{langx|ga|Sráid Naomh Pádraig}}) is the main shopping street of the city of Cork in the south of Ireland. The street was subject to redevelopment in 2004, and has since won two awards as Ireland's best shopping street.{{cite web|url = http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/stpatricksstreet/ | publisher = Cork City Library | work = Cork Past & Present | title = Cork history initiative - St Patrick's Street | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20210207120334/http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/stpatricksstreet/| archivedate = 7 February 2021 | quote = Since its redevelopment in 2004, it has twice won the award as Ireland's best shopping street }} St Patrick's Street is colloquially known to most locals as simply 'Patrick's Street', with the 'St' honorific dropped, in accordance with the pattern applied to many locations named after saints. It is also referred to colloquially by some locals as "Pana", with the first 'a' being elongated.
Location
St Patrick's Street runs in a curve from Saint Patrick's Bridge to Daunt Square, where it meets Grand Parade. The street obtains its curved shape due to its location over an arm of the River Lee.{{cite web|url = http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/stpatricksstreet/historicoutline/ | publisher = Cork City Library | work = Cork Past & Present | title = St Patrick's Street - Historic Outline | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200728211109/http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/stpatricksstreet/historicoutline/ | archivedate = 28 July 2020 }}
History
File:Patrick Street Cork Ireland from Daunts Square Circa 1890.jpg
The street dates from the late 18th century, when the city expanded beyond the walls of the ancient city, which was centered on North and South Main Streets. During the 1780s, many of the streets that now make up the city centre of Cork were formed by the spanning of the river channels of the Lee, between marshy islands.
From 1898 to 1931, the street was served by the Cork Electric Tramways and Lighting Company. Services started on 22 December 1898, although it closed on 30 September 1931 due to increasing popularity of bus services operated by The Irish Omnibus Company and the takeover of the company's electricity plant by the Electricity Supply Board.
Parts of Patrick Street were extensively damaged during the Irish War of Independence in an event known as the "Burning of Cork" in 1920. This included the Munster Arcade and Grant's department store.
In 2004, the street was redeveloped by architect Beth Gali to be more "pedestrian-friendly". This included repaving, and as well as widening of pedestrian pavements to create plazas.{{cite web|url=http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/stpatricksstreet/redevelopment/ |title= St Patrick's Street - Redevelopment | work = Cork Past & Present |publisher=Cork City Library |date=22 September 2004 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20170510032553/http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/stpatricksstreet/redevelopment/ |archive-date=10 May 2017}}
In the early 21st century, the street underwent various modernisation and rejuvenation projects, including the opening of Opera Lane in 2010, the redesign of shop facades in 2016,{{cite web| url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/property/commercial/cork-set-for-multi-million-euro-retail-rebuild-395398.html |title=Cork set for multi-million euro retail rebuild |publisher=Irish Examiner |date=28 April 2016 |access-date=10 June 2017}} and the development of the former Capitol Cinema site in 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/stores-in-the-capitol-confirmed-oyster-tavern-to-reopen-446159.html |title=Stores in The Capitol confirmed; Oyster Tavern to reopen |publisher=Irish Examiner |date=26 March 2017 |access-date=10 June 2017 | first = Tommy | last = Barker }}
Between March and April 2018, Cork City Council banned afternoon traffic on Patrick Street, with only public transport traffic allowed between 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. While the ban was lifted within a few weeks, due to a reported impact on city centre traders,{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/cork-bans-private-cars-on-patrick-street-in-the-afternoons-1.3441745 |title=Cork bans private cars on Patrick Street in the afternoons |first=Barry |last=Roche |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=March 27, 2018 |access-date=19 April 2018}}{{cite news |url=http://www.eveningecho.ie/corknews/Victory-for-the-traders-city-businesses-celebrate-as-car-ban-parked-88f910c6-52de-4b13-ae08-72736805444d-ds |title=Victory for the traders: city businesses celebrate as car ban parked |first=Darragh |last=Bermingham |newspaper=Evening Echo |date=21 April 2018 |access-date=April 22, 2018}} it was subsequently reinstated. Its enforcement has reportedly been inconsistent.{{cite web|url = https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-40362197.html | work = The Echo | title = 56 people fined for flouting parking restrictions on Cork’s Patrick Street | date = 19 August 2021 | accessdate = 9 November 2023 | first = Amy | last = Nolan }}
Businesses and landmarks
{{Further|List of public art in Cork city}}
The street is home to a number of retail and department stores, which at the northern end includes Brown Thomas, Dunnes Stores, Marks & Spencer and Penneys. The Roches Stores building, built at the northern end of the street in the mid-1920s, housed the Roches Stores department store from the early 20th century until leased by Debenhams Ireland, who operated it from 2006 until 2020.{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/property/debenhams-big-shoes-to-fill-on-corks-st-patricks-street-995557.html | publisher = Irish Examiner | website = irishexaminer.com | title = Debenhams' big shoes to fill on Cork's St Patrick's Street | date = 22 April 2020 | access-date = 29 April 2020}}{{cite report|url = https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/app/uploads/2019/10/Cork-City.pdf | publisher = National Inventory or Architectural Heritage | work = buildingsofireland.ie | title = An Introduction to the Architectural Heritage of Cork City | page = 89 | access-date = 29 April 2020 }} The opposite (southwestern) end of the street includes smaller units, with jewellery stores such as Pandora, video game stores like GameStop, and health store Holland & Barrett.
A monument to Fr. Theobald Mathew, the Apostle of Temperance, stands at the northern end of the street facing St. Patrick's Bridge over the River Lee. The monument dates back to October 1864.{{cite web|url=http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/stpatricksstreet/selectedplacesofinterest/ |title=St Patrick's Street - Selected places of interest | work = Cork Past & Present |publisher=Cork City Library | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20170515150426/http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/stpatricksstreet/selectedplacesofinterest/ | archive-date = 15 May 2017 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Cork City}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Patrick's Street}}