Walk with me
by Sylvia Wobo
25/01/2021
The Colour of Kindness in Cork
This Red Mural on Water Street- designed and painted by Garreth Joyce. It celebrates Cork’s citation as Europe’s Friendliest City in 2018 by the renowned Conde Nast Traveller publication.
Walking along the Mall a few days ago, I saw bright colours on an electrical box with “Welcome to Cork” written on it in four languages and thought, “How kind.”
I recalled I’d recently read that Cork had been voted one of the kindest cities in the world. And so, it was a given, “Colour and Kindness — yes, this is Cork.”
I remember my bus route to work which, after two years of the same buildings, the same streets became exceedingly boring. To brighten up my journey, I used to try and spot as many colourful things as I could among the drab and dreary; bright flowers, decorations, colourful street graffiti and art.
So dear readers, I want to take you on a walk with me through Cork City so that I can share with you, the spaces where both colour and kindness came alive for me!
Born into colour and kindness
The colour of my blood flows as beautifully crimson as the rose that pricked my arm — once plated with gold in the lustre of l’amour black and white
– from my own poem ‘The Colour of Our Blood’
I was born in Nigeria, to my White Corkonian mother, and my Black Nigerian father. They met in Cork in the early fifties when my father came to study medicine. After qualifying, they married and moved to Nigeria.
Worried about the reaction of her parents to the idea of having a Black boyfriend, never mind intending to marry him, my mother went to the parish priest for advice.
He suggested she invite my dad home for tea which she did and where he was warmly accepted into the family.
The home that invites and welcomes us, and gives us safe refuge from the worries of the world, is one which knows the kindness of love.
My walks through Cork, selected observations
Red sandstone and grey limestone are the distinguishing colours of Cork buildings
The greys and reds add colour to the streetscape reflecting beautifully when the sun shines.
Flying the rainbow colours in solidarity with members of the LGBT community. South Mall
Delightful are the colourful messaging on electrical boxes dotted throughout the city centre.
The colour of kindness is caring, brightening the grey without erasing it and offering reminders to look after ourselves and others.
In these insecure times of COVID-19, we should keep our hearts full of the joys we had, still have and will have again. Cork City is doing its part to keep us safe just as we, who live here, are doing our part to keep everyone safe.
Cork’s history of golden kindness reflects social solidarity up till this day
A Corkonian to be proud of is Mary Elmes who carried out humanitarian during the Spanish Civil War and WW2, saving hundreds of children in Vichy France from Nazi concentrations camps. The new pedestrian bridge opened in 2019 was named The Mary Elmes Bridge after a public vote, to honour this woman described as an Irish Oskar Schindler.
The kindness of strangers and those who could walk past the troubles of others but do not, is found in the kindness of the treasured figures of Cork.
The colour of kindness is bright
I discovered many projects initiated to brighten up derelict areas in Cork with street art and guerrilla gardening. An example is the Mad about Cork volunteer group who, in 2015, painted Coleman’s Lane from one end to the other and installed dozens of flower boxes to cheer us up. The colour of kindness is in the caring for the spaces we share. You can learn more about the Flower Boxes and Coleman’s lane at: madaboutcork.com
Cork for Black Lives Matter
The colour of kindness understands that brutal acts of racism need to be challenged and the Anti-Racism and importance of BlackLivesMatter are conversations beginning to be had in Cork.
Among the very creative examples of street art I came across, I especially love the public artworks of a group of young teenagers who meet up in person and via Zoom at the Cork Migrant Centre at Nano Nagle Place. They create and explore better and just futures and challenge us all to DEEDS not just WORDs (see Acknowledgements).
Walking through Cork has made me very conscious of how kind Cork people are and how this is reflected in colours
Ireland has become a multi-cultural society with all its positive aspects as well as negative side-effects which includes increasing racism. We should all open our eyes and see the individual beauty of colour as an inclusive and not divisive moment. We all have the ability to colour the world with kindness which, I’m sure will prevail, ensure inclusion and challenge discrimination.
The colour of kindness is multicoloured, inclusive and festive, it values the humanity of all – and it is very much alive in our City of Cork.
Acknowledgements
An Acknowledgement to Our Young Artists
Their artworks are part of the Glucksman’s My Generation project and are created by group of incredible Young Artists and we’d like to acknowledge them all:
Kelvin Agu; Emmanuel Akinbote; Faith Akinbote; Samuel Akinbote; Omowunmi Akinde; Solomon Amaye Hunter; Rachel Allen; Reem Alsahli; Noreen Angozi; Esther Aribasoye; Amaka Duru; Ugonna Duru; Lilian Eberechi; Daniella Egwim; Inga Figlan; Collin Frank; Colman Frank; Athobe Harmans; Mira Henchi; Ericka Lingwood; Doireann Magee-Salawu; Prince Matsetto; Hayat Mehmood; Sania Mehmood; Shewa Mogaji; Arinette Mokola; Maria Mulanga; Louise Ndlov; Nanette Ndlov; Charmaine Ngwenya; Chisom Nwauzor; Sarah O’Mahony; Craig Sibanda; Ethen Sibanda; Elton Sibanda; Isabel Sibanda; Joshua Sibanda; Alicia Sibindi; Abubakar Twalib.
