Cork County Council does not confirm if tourist attraction will reopen for summer season

CORK County Council is “committed to maximising” Camden Fort Meagher’s potential into the future but has not confirmed whether the popular attraction will reopen this summer.

It comes as concerns were raised recently Camden Fort Meagher may not reopen for the summer season following a lack of communication between the council and a group of local volunteers who have been involved in the running and upkeep of the fort since 2010.

The group has said it is “heartbreaking” they no longer know what the future holds for the fort as they cannot gain access to the site to prepare it for opening.

The council informed the group 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.

A council spokesperson told The Echo that, as the custodians of Camden Fort Meagher, the local authority “has a duty of care to the asset and to all who work there and visit”.

“It fully recognises the value and potential of Camden Fort Meagher and is committed to maximising its potential into the future.

“To that end, a review of operations has recently been undertaken, and once same is completed, the council will work to reopen the fort as soon as is practicable, in a safe and sustainable manner.”

When asked if the fort would reopen or remain closed for the summer season, the council did not respond.

In response, a spokesperson for the volunteer group said: “All we can say is that we are just saddened and disappointed that, after 12 years of working together, they suddenly stopped talking to us. 

"We understand that the council may have plans for the fort that are bigger than our little volunteer group but, as one of the major stakeholders in the fort’s operation since day one, we had hoped to be kept in the loop.”

Carrigaline Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley said she “can’t see the fort opening for the summer”, and condemned the “lack of communication” from the council.