It was an iconic landmark that dominated the Cork City skyline for nearly a century. And now, the demolition of the R&H silos on Cork’s Kennedy Quay has been immortalised in a series of sketches by a local artist. On February 23, work began on demolishing the two former grain stores, as part of a regeneration project to breathe new life into the city’s docklands.
Artist and primary school teacher Celina Buckley was on site as the demolition crews began their work. The Cork docklands is “such an exciting place to draw”, says Ms Buckley. While drone footage captured the demolition, she hopes her art will preserve the essence of the docklands before it is transformed.
The 33.3m-high old grain stores, which date from the 1930s, were demolished as part of O’Callaghan Properties’ plans to transform the city’s south docks. Their removal is key to kickstarting a game-changing €350m plan to transform the South Docks from an under-utilised, industrial landscape into a new and attractive city docklands quarter.
The O’Callaghan Properties plan includes a new rehabilitation hospital, as well as office blocks and an apartment complex. At the heart of it is the old, iconic Odlums Mills building, which is to be restored and re-purposed.
Ms Buckley completed 12 drawings in total, all drawn at different stages of the demolition process, and captured the power of the massive jaws used by demolition experts O’Kelly Bros.
A part-time primary school teacher, Ms Buckley said she used any spare time she had to get to the docklands.
“I would go in sunny weather, cold weather and rainy weather. Sometimes I would have to draw from my car,” she added.
Her R&H Hall’s Farewell Series is not the first time she has captured the area on canvass, with her first solo exhibition ‘Docklands’ featuring a collection of fine art collages, mostly created on location over a period of two years.
The Rylane native said the redevelopment of the docklands and the Odlums building may provide the inspiration for her next series.
One of the Farewell series is displayed in the nearby NetApp International HQ, from where it was drawn. “The view was amazing and it was right in between one of the buildings being knocked. It was great to capture that moment.”
Another piece from the series is part of a private collection and Ms Buckley is keeping one for herself. The rest are for sale.
