The Green Party in Cork has joined calls for Cork City Council to purchase lands in Glanmire to expand John O’Callaghan Park.

In recent weeks, Fianna Fáil TD Pádraig O’Sullivan called on Cork City Council to purchase a site, currently on the market, which adjoins Glanmire’s John O’Callaghan Park.

The site consists of approximately 21 acres and is part of the lands surrounding Glyntown House in Glanmire.

Last week, the Glanmire Amenities Committee echoed Mr O’Sullivan’s call on the council to purchase the land.

Now the Green Party has added its voice to those calls, with Councillor Oliver Moran describing the potential purchase as “an opportunity that I don’t think should be let slip by”.

Cllr Moran noted that the land for sale adjoins the park and is zoned for public open space.

“The planned greenway runs through it and it’s surrounded by trees and woodland,” he said.

“It’s everything we should be aiming to preserve to bring an amenity to the area.” The city development plan agreed in August had identified the Butlerstown River corridor alongside the park for protection and enhancement, he said.

“This area of land fits into that. There’s a strong campaign in Glanmire to develop a playground for the area and this site could be an opportunity for that as well.

Cllr Moran said expanding the park fitted with the vision for Glanmire in creating a central focus for the communities of Rivertown, Glanmire village and Sallybrook. 

When that's been discussed it's usually been about creating a town centre in Glanmire. Putting a strong amenity like this at the focal point of Glanmire could be a way to do that too."