Oliver Plunkett Street
| Sráid Oilibhéir Pluincéid | |
Oliver Plunkett Street looking east from Grand Parade
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| Former name(s) | George's Street |
|---|---|
| Namesake | Oliver Plunkett |
| Location | Cork, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 51°53′53″N 8°28′14″W / 51.898°N 8.4705°WCoordinates: 51°53′53″N 8°28′14″W / 51.898°N 8.4705°W |
| Major junctions |
Grand Parade, Parnell Place |
| Other | |
| Known for | 'Great Street Award' 2016 |
| Status | Pedestrian priority |
Oliver Plunkett Street (Irish: Sráid Olibhéir Pluincéid) is a key shopping street in Cork, Ireland. It was originally laid-out in the early 18th century as the city expanded eastwards beyond the original city walls. It was the only street in Ireland on a shortlist for the 'Great Street Award 2016' by London's Academy of Urbanism, It subsequently won the award - over nearly seventy other candidates from the UK and Ireland.
At the start of the 18th century, Oliver Plunkett Street was the first street built east of the Grand Parade in the area then known as the East Marsh or Dunscombe Marsh. It was originally named George's Street after George I, the then reigning King of Great Britain and Ireland.
In 1920, during the Burning of Cork, large parts of the street were destroyed by British troops.
After the establishment of the Irish Free State, the street was renamed after Oliver Plunkett, a 17th-century martyr and Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh. The name change was gradual and as late as 1945, business directories still contained a reference to 'Late George's Street'.
The street runs in a straight line from Custom House Street to Grand Parade.
Between Grand Parade and Parnell Place, the street is a shopping street. With the exception of the secondary entrance to the Penneys department store, most retailers on the street are small standalone retailers. However, there are a number of chain retailers that operate smaller stores too, such as Leonidas and Bewley's. This section of the street is also home to Cork's main Post Office. A small lane, known as Market Lane, provides access to the English Market.
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Wikipedia