Tom McSweeney: ‘Island’ sanctuary at the heart of this historic Cork harbour village

“Welcome to Monkstown Historic Harbour Village” says the sign on the riverside approach to Monkstown.

The village has a lot of history. In the maritime sphere, it is associated with that of the oldest yacht club in the world, the RCYC at Crosshaven.

The Munster Model Yacht Club was founded in August 1872 at a meeting in the Imperial Hotel, Monkstown. Records refer in 1821 to the ‘Little Monkstown Club,’ as providing continuity for the continued existence in times of difficulty of the original Cork Water Club, forebears of the RCYC and an essential historical continuity link.

The MMYC held its first regatta in August 1873. In 1886 it became the Munster Corinthian Yacht Club and, in 1892, the Royal Munster Yacht Club. Later history records club amalgamations in the harbour leading to the eventual situation in modern times.

The name of the village is said to derive from an early monastic site near Monkstown Castle. The Church of Saint John the Evangelist in Monkstown is 192 years old. Another, the Catholic Church of the Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary dates from 1872.

Provision for a four-face clock was included in its tower design, but tradition records that, though the brewing family, Murphys, offered to provide the clock, then Parish Priest, Canon McNamara was a dedicated total abstainer and refused the offer! An unusual piece of history.

There is another. 

On February 28, 1910, The Cork Examiner reported how a blackthorn stick cut from a tree at Fir Hill, Monkstown, was sent with a 12ft roll of grass to Chicago aboard the White Star ship, St Louis, for the visit to the “windy city” on St Patrick’s Day of then US president William Howard Taft.

Put on public display prior to the visit, city newspapers reported that so many Irish emigrants wanted to touch the grass that “the sod was kept watered by Irish tears.”

Concerns in village 

There is much more history to Monkstown, giving it fair claim to be a ‘historic harbour village,’ but there is increasing community concern over part of that heritage – the removal of the ‘island,’ the only green area within the village.

County Council engineering plans for a greenway when announced indicated that “an extension of the greenway will deliver a new shared walking and cycling pathway along the harbour edge.

“The purpose of the scheme is to provide a high-quality pedestrian and cycling amenity for the local communities which can also facilitate improved walking and cycling access to schools, local business and employment thus increasing sustainable travel.”

Local opinion has challenged the engineers, focusing on the removal of the island, with its trees, greenery and décor, the location for village occasions – such as Christmastime celebrations, which is opposite the village sailing club’s boat base.

Calls for changes to preserve island 

Monkstown Tidy Towns Committee has asked for changes to preserve the island. It has warned of increased traffic dangers in the Council proposals but, the Committee, has told residents (including myself. I live in Monkstown): “It’s fair to say the engineers were unsympathetic. They don’t see the danger/impact of having vehicles and pedestrians at close quarters.

“This is our fundamental disagreement. Our objective is to accommodate the scheme, but leave the island in situ along with the protection it offers.”

Resident comments on WhatsApp said: “Pure madness on the part of the County Council;” and “It’s disappointing the Council doesn’t listen to the concerns of the local community.”

I asked Cork County Council for a response, but so far there has been no reply.

That issue of who knows best for a local community, the people who live there or the planners, has arisen in other maritime areas and is fundamental to local democracy.

At Union Hall fishing village, giving one of the series of maritime talks there, I was told by villagers about their battle with the Council over Keelbeg Pier, “an important facility, the community’s only access to the water for leisure purposes”.

The Council closed it off for safety reasons, which have to be considered, but the community didn’t see any plans for resolving those issues and improving it. They began protests and demonstrations which forced Minister for the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, to meet them and promise €300,000 funding for design and site investigation for the development of the pier.

Myross Rowing Club is a major marine sporting part of life in the Union Hall community. It called for the pier to be upgraded rather than closed, listing its “long history and role in the village’s heritage. Funding has been secured for upgrades on other small piers along the coast - why not Union Hall?”

Strong local opinion won this battle. Coastal rowing is important to rural coastal towns and villages Bill Deasy of Union Hall is President of the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation. Myross Club member Pat Deasy has been honoured by the Federation for his dedication to the sport.