King George II Plaque

The stone plaque that once adorned the front of the pedestal on which the statue of George II stood.

This stone plague came from the base of a large statue of King George II that had once stood on the Grand Parade. The plaque reads “The citizens of Cork erected this statue to the memory of King George II in gratitude for the many blessings they enjoyed during his auspicious reign, A.D. MDCCLXII” (1762). The statue only remained in situ for a century before it was torn down, highlighting the city’s complex relationship with its colonial status within the British Empire.

The statue was originally commissioned by Cork Corporation led by Mayor Thomas Newenham in 1760 to mark the death of George II. It was perceived by many in Cork that the reign of George II (1727-1760) was a period of political calm and prosperity for the city. During the early 18th century, Cork expanded beyond its ancient medieval walls and the city witnessed the construction of new public buildings and amenities. Cork’s port was thriving and this helped spur on the city’s economic and commercial development.

A photograph taken in 1861 or early 1862 that shows the statue of George II on the Grand Parade, shortly before it was permanently removed by members of the public and thrown in the river. Notice the supports keeping the statue upright.

The statue was created by a sculptor by the name of John van Nost the Younger (1713-1780/1787). He was born in Piccadilly, London, but moved to Ireland after the death of his uncle, who was also called John van Nost. The younger Van Nost established himself as a reputable sculptor and set up his business in Dublin where he had little competition and enjoyed a monopoly on commissions.

The statue of George II was finished on July 17th, 1762[CF3] , and was erected near a newly constructed bridge that crossed a river channel and joined what is now Tuckey Street with Oliver Plunkett Street. In 1781, Cork Corporation had to paint it yellow as it was starting to turn an ugly shade of green. The Statue was known by locals as ‘Yella Horse’ and ‘George-a-Horseback’. At the beginning of the 19th century, the river channel was filled in and the statue was moved closer to the river Lee on what is now the Grand Parade. By this stage, however, the statue was poorly maintained and was supported by wooden crutches, an indication of its approaching demise.

A photograph of the plaque that would have been at the back of the statue’s pedestal reading George Square. This was the name given to the area in which the statue had originally stood at the junction of Tuckey and George’s (Oliver Plunkett) street, near the present day Berwick Fountain.

A man by the name of John Carr made a quote about the statue in his book, The Stranger in Ireland (1805), ‘In the center of the parade, which is very spacious, there is an equestrian statue of George the second; it is of stone, and painted yellow, and has nothing belonging to it worthy of further notice.’

On the night of March 9th 1862, a member of the public jumped the guard rail surrounding the statue and cut the supports holding it up, which caused the statue to fall. In the moments that followed, members of the crowd who had gathered around the statue began to cut parts off and throw some in the river. These actions reflect the shifting public opinion towards the British monarchy due to evolving political tensions and the growth of Irish nationalism. Nothing remains of the statue today except for the two plaques in the Museum’s possession, which have been placed on the statue’s pedestal.

Though the statue of King George is no longer with us, its memory survives in the Irish translation of the Grand Parade. Known in Irish as ‘Sráid an Chapalli Bhuí’, or ‘street of the yellow horse’, the long-forgotten statue certainly made an impact on the history of Cork.