New €2.25m fire station 'a valuable addition to Clonakilty'

A new fire station has been officially opened in Clonakilty, replacing the old facility on Kent St, which was home to Clonakilty Fire Brigade for more than eight decades.

Staffed by a local crew of 12 personnel, comprised of a station officer, sub-station officer, two driver mechanics and eight firefighters, the station will serve a catchment area with a population of more than 18,000 people

The Mayor of County Cork, councillor Mary Linehan Foley, cut the ribbon officially opening the station on Monday, accompanied by Minister of state at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Christopher O’Sullivan, and Cork County Council chief executive Moira Murrell.

“This new fire station is a valuable addition to Clonakilty. It serves Clonakilty and a wide hinterland including nearby villages of Rosscarbery, Timoleague, Courtmacsherry, Ballinascarthy, Ring, Ardfield, and Rathbarry,” said Ms Linehan Foley.

“Clonakilty Fire Brigade also responds regularly to incidents in adjacent station ground areas of Skibbereen, Dunmanway, and Bandon.

“The old facility at Kent St which underwent a redevelopment in 1975 and the former station on the same site has served the area well for just over 80 years. 

"The new station on Park Rd is much larger and has more modern facilities which is of huge assistance to the work this brigade does.”

The new fire station has a footprint of 310sq m and has a bay with space for two appliances, and a domestic bay housing the watch room, muster bay, kitchenette, lecture/training room, and ancillary spaces.

Mr O’Sullivan said: “This long-term investment through the department’s Fire Services Capital Programme not only ensures the continued development of the infrastructure of fire stations, but also provides further investment in vehicle fleets, specialist equipment and command and control capability, reflecting the importance we place on fire safety in terms of our citizens and property.”

The contract for the new building was awarded to Cahalane Construction, following a competitive tender valued at €2.25m and was funded by the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government.