'Heartbreaking': Volunteers 'incredibly sad' that no plan in place to reopen Camden Fort Meagher  

Concerns have been raised locally that Camden Fort Meagher, one of Cork’s most popular attractions among locals and tourists alike, may not reopen for the summer season.

Members of a group of dedicated volunteers who have ensured the upkeep and running of the fort since 2010, in partnership with Cork County Council, have said it is “heartbreaking” that they no longer know what the future holds for the fort.

The initial aim of the group was to get the Fort to a position where its facilities could be used for the betterment of the community and beyond had been achieved, with an average of 1,000 visitors to the fort each open weekend.

Now, the group has said that they cannot gain access to the site to prepare it for opening as Cork County Council informed them there would be a health and safety audit carried out at the end of last year’s season and that they should not enter the fort until it was completed.

“That was the last that we have officially heard from them and despite making many enquiries, both directly and through intermediaries, we’re still none the wiser nor have we been able to get back into the fort,” a statement issued by the group said.

The group described the situation as “incredibly sad” after 13 years of involvement with the fort.

“Over these 13 years, it was the volunteers who have opened the fort to the public every summer weekend (Covid excepted) and it’s the volunteers who were the public face of Camden, showing visitors around and sharing with everyone who would listen to the story of this incredible place,” the statement read.

Carrigaline councillor Audrey Buckley had put forward a motion on Camden Fort back in Autumn 2022 to ask who would be replacing the then-manager of the fort from Cork County Council who was leaving the position.

She was told at that time that a feasibility study and health and safety risk assessment would be carried out and that the Council would be back in due course on the matter.

Following another motion put forward in February of this year, Ms Buckley said she has had no further correspondence.

“I’d say the summer is too late now for Camden to be opening. It’s May next week and I can’t see it happening because the volunteers don’t know what’s happening, we don’t know what’s happening and in Cork County Council we’re not sure who is holding this whole thing up. The feasibility study last year was done so that has to be in someone’s hands right now.”

Cork County Council were contacted for comment.