Angry West Cork locals officially open 'Uisce Éireann Park'

A group of residents in Shannonvale, West Cork, gathered yesterday for the official opening ceremony of their local park, which they have renamed 'Uisce Éireann Park' to protest sewage issues which have left the park rendered unusable for almost three decades.

The event was organised by the Clonakilty Clean Water Committee, who have printed new signage for the official name change and marked the occasion by cutting a 'ribbon' made of toilet paper, and handed out 'poo cakes' - specially decorated chocolate cupcakes to highlight the sewage issue.

Highlighting

Addressing the gathering committee chair Alan Dromey said: “The group that we have here today came together with the view of promoting and highlighting change.

“Over the last 12 months, it’s been enormously successful,” he said, explaining that the community had held events to fundraise and promote their activity, and thanking them as well as the local pub Phair's and the committee members.

Mr Dormey said their support demonstrated “how the people of West cork are behind this".

"This event is symbolic really it’s a 27 year old issue and we feel that Uisce Éireann are wholly accountable for this." 

Mr Dromey told The Echo that 16,000 people have been reached by their Facebook campaign, in Ireland and beyond, saying: “We need to hold them (Uisce Éireann) to account to ensure we’re part of their next capital plan.” 

Mr Dromey added that one local he was chatting to a man who has an adult daughter who is applying for planning permission in the area.

"His daughter was never able to use this park, now he’s just hoping that his grandchildren will be able to."

Powerless

Fellow committee member Karen Whooley added: “Everybody just feels powerless. Holly Cairns recently raised it with Simon Harris and he said he would talk to the CEO of Uisce Éireann but still nothing happened. If the Taoiseach can’t make any difference, what hope do we have? 

“People that have lived here all their lives, the light goes out of their eyes when you mention the park – it’s a really depressing situation.” 

Evie Nevin, a committee member and Labour Party representative for West Cork said that when canvassing for the recent local elections, “at every single house, the same issue came up over and over again".

“People were - rightly so - very angry about the situation, their only green area where their children can play has been taken away - people who were raised here, who played here, who want that same experience for their children.

“Shannonvale feel very forgotten about. It’s fantastic to see the turnout and the residents so passionate, getting mobilised to do something about it and taking on the big guns of Irish Water.” 

Assessment

Uisce Éireann previously told The Echo that a stage-1 assessment is under way, and it is planned that: “Shannonvale Park will be included for consideration in the development of the next Capital Investment Plan 2025-2029 having regard to approved funding and prioritisation.

“The next capital-investment plan is subject to CRU approval and there is no commitment to progressing projects that are not currently at construction stage.

“Once the stage-2 assessment has been complete, further updates on the budget and timelines for delivery will be available.”