On January 8th, 2005, President Mary McAleese and forty-thousand spectators packed the River Lee’s banks as Spraoi launched European Capital of Culture in Cork. Hundreds of thousands of others watched as Spraoi’s spectacular show was broadcast live on RTÉ Television.

 

Based on a legend that Cork’s patron, St. Finbarr, had thrown a giant serpent through the air before it crashed to earth forming the course of the river Lee. The show was the largest of its kind created and presented in Ireland at that time.

Titled ‘Awakening’ it recreated Finbarr’s serpent, spanning three bridges with temporary islands created on the river itself to support the cast and giant creature. Like a mega puppet the serpent was animated from the banks by three construction cranes.

The beast was ultimately slain with a fiery sliotar launched from the riverbank by Cork hero and hurling Captain Seán Óg Ó hAilpín as fireworks illuminated the city.

 

Media:

 

Television News: https://www.rte.ie/archives/2015/0108/671137-cork-city-of-culture-launched-2005/

 

 

 

Making:

‘Awakening’ was designed, built, and assembled at Spraoi Studios, Waterford, prior to its transportation to Cork, installation, and performance on the river Lee.

Lee banks to explode with light as
Cork 2005 awakens

CORK city’s infamous riverbanks will be the central focus of the largest
outdoor event ever to be staged here when the city is officially unveiled as
the 2005 European Capital of Culture on Saturday night.

TUE, 04 JAN, 2005 – 00:00
NIAMH NOLAN
After a year of creative planning, design and construction, the Waterford-based street theatre
group Spraoi are this week adding the final touches to the ‘Awakenings’ show, which will be
broadcast live from the River Lee on television and on screens across the city.
The show promises an entertaining spectacle of sound, vision and colour, but it’s the local
culture which truly plays a part in telling something of the story of Cork.
Spraoi Director T.V. Honan says, “The River Lee seemed to be larger than life, very much
more than a river passing through a city, but a more iconic thing: in fact it seemed to write
itself into the script.”

“For us as next-door county neighbours it was very interesting to get under the skin of Cork,
it’s been a privilege and we’ve had great fun,” he said.

Created by artistic directors Dermot Quinn and Mike Leahy, ‘Awakenings’ brings to life the
ancient legend of St Finbarr and a giant serpent, whose shape is said to have formed the
course of the River Lee.

For the last six months the 120-strong crew has been designing, creating and building the
elements of the show at the company’s purpose-built facility in Waterford.

International experts including lighting designer Tom Kenny, who has worked with U2, and
David Bowie have also been working on the production.

In the last weeks, 12 articulated trucks have travelled from Waterford to Cork with equipment
and teams are already in place in the city assembling lighting and sound equipment as well as
the steel structure which will carry the serpent along the river and its crossings.

“We wanted to do something that not only reflected the Cork of the past, but to also be
contemporary,” Mr. Honan said. “It will reflect the traditions of Cork but also have an
industrial, techno-look.”

Over the last weeks a camera crew has shot images of real-life people and events in Cork city
and county which will be blasted from the river onto an 80-foot water screen created from the
river Lee itself.

“I’d be lying if I said there weren’t nerves around this week, no one has attempted a river
based show of this scale in Ireland before, but Dermot Quinn and Mike Leahy have been
creating spectacles on various scales for 15 years now,” Mr. Honan said.

The show will be followed by the largest fireworks display ever seen in Ireland, organised by
Bob Geldof’s company Ten Alps.

Nerves aside, the only concern now for the organisers is that the gods will be kind to them
and keep the rain away.

“We have our fingers crossed for a dry night – we’d like to think that everyone there will take
away an image of the night that they will never forget,” Mr. Honan said.