Proposed medical centre ‘site’ on Cork city's northside put on market

A derelict pub on Cork's northside, promised days before the last general election as the future site of a medical centre, has been put on the market.

The Hollyhill Inn, known affectionately in Knocknaheeny as the ‘Flying Bottle’, closed its doors in October 2016 after four decades of trading, and has remained shut since.

In September 2024, the former bar and off-licence was placed on Cork City Council’s derelict sites register, and two months later its owners, Dublin-based company Certhia Ltd, went into liquidation. The company was formally wound up last month.

The premises has now been put on the market, with auctioneers BRG Gibson asking €800,000 for the 1,335sq m property.

In November 2024, three days before the general election, Fianna Fáil Cork North Central candidate Sandra Murphy Kelleher announced that plans were under way for MyCorkGP to open a GP and pharmacy at the Hollyhill Inn site – despite there being no change-of-use planning permission.

New premises secured

In a social media post by Ms Murphy Kelleher, Dr Nick Flynn of MyCorkGP said that with space becoming limited at the nearby St Mary’s campus, he was delighted that “thanks to a lot of hard work from Sandra behind the scenes”, a new premises had been secured.

“We’re going to have an expanded medical GP practice here, with a pharmacy, to serve the people of the northside of Cork City,” Dr Flynn said.

The day before the election, Ken O’Flynn, then an Independent Ireland city councillor and election candidate, posted a video on social media in which he said he had been delighted to play his part in securing the medical centre, “behind the scenes, not coming out and getting publicity”.

In that video, Dr Flynn shook hands with Mr O’Flynn and thanked him for his support. Asked about the advertised sale of the site, Ms Murphy Kelleher said she had acted on the information provided to her at the time, and she hoped a positive use could be found for the building.

Complicated process

Mr O’Flynn said: “That’s turned out to be a complicated process and it is still ongoing was the last update I received on it.”

Dr Flynn said his involvement was “part of a genuine effort to acquire the property for healthcare purposes”.

“While the process has been complicated, discussions remain active and I remain personally committed to the project."

Former lord mayor of Cork and local Fianna Fáil councillor Tony Fitzgerald said he was disappointed that the plans for a medical centre had not come to fruition, despite “high expectations it would be developed”.

Calling for the building to be knocked, he said it was “an eyesore” and called for the site to be put to community use in the future. Asked whether the pre-election announcements by his political rivals had been cynical, Mr Fitzgerald declined to respond, saying his focus was on the regeneration of the northside for the good of the local community.