St Patrick's Street

File:Patrick Street Cork Ireland from Daunts Square Circa 1890.jpg

View of St. Patrick's Street from Daunt Square (circa 1890)

File:Cork-Saint-Patrick-Street-by-night-2012.JPG

Night view of Saint Patrick's Street from Princes Street towards the east, 2012

St Patrick's Street (Irish: Sráid Naomh Pádraig) is the main shopping street of the city of Cork in the south of Ireland. Since its redevelopment in 2004, it has twice won the award as Ireland's best shopping street.

Patrick Street is affectionately known to Corkonians as "Pana".

Location

St Patrick's Street runs in a curve from Saint Patrick's Quay to Daunt Square, where it meets Grand Parade. The street obtains its curved shape due to its location over an arm of the River Lee.

History

The street dates from the late 18th Century as the city expanded beyond the walls of the ancient city which was centered on North & South Main Street. During the 1780s many of the streets that now form the city centre of Cork were formed by the spanning of the river channels between the islands of the Lee.

Parts of Patrick Street were extensively damaged during the Irish War of Independence in an event known as the "Burning of Cork".

From 1898 to 1931, the street was served by the Cork Electric Tramways and Lighting Company.

Businesses and landmarks

It is home to a number of retail outlets such as Brown Thomas, Dunnes Stores, Debenhams (formerly known as Roches Stores), Marks & Spencer and Penneys.

A monument to Fr. Theobald Mathew, the Apostle of Temperance, stands at the northern end of the street facing St. Patrick's Bridge over the River Lee.