Togher Historical Association: Southside Shopping Centre - Togher

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Southside Shopping Centre - Togher - Five Star & Other Units

In 1971 , the Southside Shopping Centre positioned between the Hazel and Elm Roads was formally opened to much fanfare as being the second only such structure outside of the inner City , the first being its close neighbour , the Togher Shopping Centre ( a.k.a. The V.G. ) which was completed a year earlier off the main Togher Road in 1969 with the anchor tenant actually trading in 1968. This gave Togher the distinct record of having the first two suburban shopping centres in Cork.

Aerial view of Clashduff House in 1951

However , another building existed on the site which had a much longer tenancy - Clashduff House - which dated back to the early 18th Century. The large house had been unoccupied since 1959 when its owner Ms. Ellen Sarah Ellis died leaving the estate to her niece Martha Trinder and her husband Henry W. Hosford who resided in a bungalow near the main Togher Road . The big house and all outhouses and other smaller privately owned dwellings were promptly demolished between 1967 and early 1968 following compulsory purchase order of the lands by the Cork Corporation and bulldozed into a hollow in the nearby bog. It is believed some of the masonry can still be seen near the waters edge of the Glasheen River. Soon thereafter the connecting road from the new concrete bridge over the Glasheen River was built to join with the Togher Road and new Vicar's Road intersection. It should be noted that the site of the new shopping centre and public park to its rear was part of Hosford's dairy farm which stretched right up to Earlwood Estate and over to Togher Road.

Site cleared for construction 1969 ( centre of photo )

The Irish Land Company was invited by Cork Corporation to formulate plans for the development of the site. They engaged with Patrick O'Sullivan , Architects to design the complex with the construction undertaken by Daniel Hegarty & Sons Ltd. The design of the site included one large unit which was leased out to Five Star Supermarkets Ltd. with an adjacent Coffee Bar and several terraced units rented out to a wide selection of services with the corner unit reserved for Bank of Ireland ( with steps and curved walkway leading from the footpath on Hazel Road ) with the entire complex arranged in a curved pattern and completely sheltered from the elements. The area between the larger unit and the terraced units ( which also housed a postbox built into the wall and access to the rear of the shops ) was fitted with steps and a ramp for trolleys and prams which lead to the upper elevation where another 3 units were available with a central courtyard and steps leading onto Elm Road. The land to the rear of the complex was excavated to provide access route for delivery trucks to the shops and the Five Star back store. A high retaining wall was built below the new public park ( a connecting footpath was built across the field from Hazel Road to Elm Road which also led onto the courtyard to the rear of the Five Star ) with a generator house providing electricity to the shops. The original trees which once stood by the old Clashduff House were retained and enclosed by kerbing at both entrances to the car park which had space for 80 cars with a low brick wall surrounding the area. Additionally street lighting was installed at both entrances. Although located within the district of Togher , the new complex had to settle on the title of Southside Shopping Centre as Togher Shopping Centre was already in use off Ardmanning Hill. It should be noted that all house fronting onto Togher Road from and including Sycamore Place and much of Hazel Road were built and occupied before the shopping centre was constructed. Cherry Tree Road , Whitebeam Road , Birch Place and Maple Place would be built in tandem with the new complex.

Winner of trolley dash in 1971
Mrs. O'Shea with daughter Anna Marie
Garda Bill Daley ( left ) - All Ireland bowling champion

& Hurler Charlie McCarthy ( right ) - St. Finbarrs & Cork hurler
Mr. McCarthy - Five Star manager ( centre )

The following is a list of the original tenants as of 1975 -

The Lower Level consisted of:

Five Star Supermarket & Coffee Dock ,

Iris Ladies Fashions ,

Harrington Wallpaper & Paint ,

John O'Riordan Chemist ,

T.C.C. O'Brien Newsagents ,

Colour T.V. Services ,

Tony Bernard Hairdressers ,

Springtime Laundrette ,

Byrnes Butchers

and Bank of Ireland.

The Upper Level consisted of :

Our Children Boutique ,

Driving Test Centre

and Dr. O'Flynns.

Of course many would leave to be replaced by others as time wore on. Byrnes Butchers was replaced in 1982 by Maurice Kelly who remained until the very last when the complex was slated for demolition in the late 1990s. However the wrecking ball wouldn't arrive until 2007 when the entire site was erazed from all memory to be replaced by Lidl Supermarket. The shopping complex still holds many fond memories for local residents and ex-pats from traders selling christmas trees under the lights in the car park to several youths being sent to the butchers for a bucket of steam and the frequent mishaps by steerna drivers racing off Hazel Road towards the rear of the shopping centre and the many late night football matches in the car park. Below is a selection of photographs featuring the " Fiva " which look back at the 1970s and 1980s.