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, in Cork. This was when Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom.

Edward Fitzgerald, the then Lord Mayor of Cork, originally proposed the idea for the fair which took place on 8 hectares of reclaimed marshland the Mardyke area of Cork. This area is now known as Fitzgerald's Park. The exhibition opened in spring (between April and 1 May ) and closed in autumn (September or November).

Exhibitions included a Canadian pavilion, art gallery, machinery hall and industrial hall.

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

Entertainments included a water chute, a skating rink,switchback railway, temperance restaurant, a creamery, shooting gallery and an aquarium.

The immediate legacy was a follow on exhibition in 1903 which was visited by Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. After the second fair closed the grounds were donated to Cork Corporation for recreational use by the public and opened to the public in 1906. Now known as Fitzgerald's Park, the park retains the original pavilion and fountain from the fair and also houses the Cork Public Museum.

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