Blackrockcastle         bbermingham@corkcity.ie    www.bbermingham.com

Reply to Question submitted at Council Meeting To be held on 23d September, 2002.

Question to the Manager

If the Manager will outline the progress he has made in advancing plans for the refurbishment and redevelopment of Blackrock Castle?

(Clir. Deirdre Clune)

Following purchase of Blackrock Castle, the first priority was to secure the building and identify and address essential works required to secure the basic fabric of the building.

Murray O'Laoire, Architects have been retained to prepare a report on the essential works required. They have also been requested to consider and outline proposals for re-development.

It is intended that the refurbishment and re-development will form part of an overall plan for amenity work in the area. Proposals in this regard will be brought before City Council at an early date.

Press Release- 020826

Councillor Brian Bermingham to day congratulated the City Manager Mr Joe Gavin for taking the initiative, and thinking BIG in the interests of the City by purchasing that famous landmark Blackrock Castle.

1. Its neo-Gothic building looks upriver to Cork City, overlooking the inner and outer harbour.
2. It has 6000 sq.ft of accommodation with a beautiful tower, its own boat slipway, courtyard, a magnificent banqueting hall, two large reception rooms, wine cellar and a lovely gate lodge.

It ranks amongst Cork’s finest landmarks, Shandon, North Cathedral, St.Finbarr’s Cathedral, The Viaduct, our Lady’s Hospital, etc

I am very concerned at its dereliction look, which seems to be fast deteriorating.

I appeal to the City Manager to ACT NOW before too much damage is done and restore it to its former glory.

Now that Blackrock Castle is in the ownership of the City what to do with it is the Q.? Corkonians should now be inputting their ideas, as to its most desired use for the benefit of all its inhabitants?

The City Manager has some good ideas

1.      Incorporating a restaurant,

2.      Infilling the curve of the river giving a beautiful surround grassed park area

3.      A boardwalk to the Village of Blackrock,

4.      Blackrock acquiring a focus and impetus to upgrade and enhance. The Village may have considered itself ignored over the years.

Add to these ideas and one can consider

Ø      An oasis of sea-activity giving Blackrock the status of a Killiney or Dalkey or other beautiful sea villages one finds in Dublin and in Europe.

Ø      A harbour Marina,

Ø      Fishing when the harbour is cleaned up.

Ø      High quantity Seafood restaurants.

Extend these ideas into the Marina, including the Atlantic pond, and on into a new upgraded docklands and now one is really creating a concept, beautiful to behold, pleasurable for living, walking, jogging, variety of sea activities including boating fishing, eating in all a magnificent amenity with Blackrock - King of the Castle, a super attractive neighbourhood, a Tourist resort, and a major economic benefit of the City of Cork.

 We must get it right this time.

 Having had my wedding reception there I had a strong interest in its wellbeing and observed its ups and downs over the years.

Ø      I promoted the idea in 2000 whilst the Castle was on the market that Cork City Council should purchase the Castle and that it or part thereof should be the setting as a home and or office / reception facility to the Lord Mayor of the City. What a splendid thought to greet visitors to our City in should historic surroundings? Observing the Lord Mayor transverse from Blackrock Castle to City Hall via the upgraded docklands give rise to the notion of water transportation something the City should now seriously consider? After its restoration in 1829 it was used as a mayoral residence until a consortium bought it in the 1960’s and used it as a bar, restaurant and banqueting hall.

Ø      It could be used as a hospitality suite for visiting dignitaries, political, business academic sporting etc

Ø      A “Best of Cork” heritage exhibition suite for all artists of every description.

Ø      Historical, Lecture, Meeting Ideas area facilitating people to engage in discussion etc at reasonable cost.

Ø      Cork city Council offices, which would be a very nice setting but in my view a boring used of this exciting structure.

Ø      Etc.

Blackrock Castle has an illustrious History dating back to the 16^th Century. Then the City of Cork appealed to queen Elizabeth to construct a defensive forth at Blackrock to protect the flourishing shipping trade from pirates. The queen duly obliged and thus Blackrock castle came into being.

http://homepage.eircom.net/~bbermingham/