Cork City’s newest bridge is to be named after Mary Elmes

Cork City’s newest pedestrian bridge has been named after Mary Elmes in the last stage of a public consultation which garnered huge interest in the city and beyond.

Known as “The Irish Oskar Schindler”, Mary Elmes was born in Ballintemple in Cork city. An aid worker, she is credited with having helped over 200 Jewish children escape Vichy France and the threat of concentration camps.

On Monday evening, Cork City Councillors chose from a shortlist of five names based on suggestions from members of the public. Up to 92 public submissions were made as part of the public consultation process with 35 names suggested.

Following a vote on the chamber floor, the two shortlisted names with the highest number of councillor votes were confirmed by the Lord Mayor. These were Mary Elmes and Donnchadh de Barra. Each councillor present then identified their preference from these two names. Mary Elmes was the winner by 17 votes to 12.

The new bridge is being fabricated in Co Carlow and is scheduled to be lifted into place in late June this year.  

It will link St. Patrick’s Quay with Merchant’s Quay from Harley Street on the northern side. Up to 11,000 pedestrians and cyclists, travelling between the city centre and the Victorian Quarter daily, will benefit from the improved connectivity provided by the new bridge. The Victorian Quarter is made up of Mac Curtain St and the surrounding area.

BACKGROUND:

Below are the five shortlisted names:

• Mary Elmes – known as “The Irish Oskar Schindler”, this Cork-born aid worker is credited with having helped over 200 Jewish children escape Vichy France and the threat of concentration camps
• Mother Jones - born Mary Harris Jones in Shandon, Mother Jones became one of the most prominent labour and community organisers in the United States, who agitated relentlessly for workers’ rights and an end to child labour
• Leslie Price de Barra – Irish nationalist, director of Cumann na mBan, humanitarian and President of the Irish Red Cross, she lived with her husband, renowned Republican Tom Barry, on St. Patrick’s Street
• Donnchadh de Barra – from Riverstick, Co. Cork, Republican leader de Barra died on hunger strike in a Newbridge internment camp in November 1923
• Joan Denise Moriarty – Ballerina and choreographer, she was pivotal to the development of Irish ballet and founded a number of dance schools which still exist today.