Meeting sought to discuss future of Old Cork Prison site

A special cross-party meeting, to discuss the future of the  old Cork Prison site, will be held in the coming days following a formal request submitted to the chief executive of Cork City Council.

The request was submitted on behalf of 22 public representatives on Friday.

Under legislation, it is required that this meeting be held within 10 days of receiving the request.

It comes as the Irish Prison Service, on behalf of justice minister Jim O’Callaghan, gave notice in June of its intention to carry out demolition works at the site.

Among the more than 20 councillors backing the request is Lord Mayor of Cork Damien Boylan, who told The Echo his view on the old Cork Prison is that it is “a place of huge historical significance”.

“I hope that will be considered by all people involved,” said Mr Boylan.

“I don’t want to regret doing anything up in that prison that would change the nature of it away from being a historical site.

“There are a lot of intricacies to this, and they need to be examined before anyone does anything radical.

“I hope that calm heads will prevail, and we can have a historical site for the future.”

The main request, laid out in the submission, calls on Cork City Council chief executive Valerie O’Sullivan to add the old Cork Prison site to the Register of Protected Structures.

Sinn Féin councillor for the North West ward, Kenneth Collins, said the “history and the heritage in this building is irreplaceable”.

“We don’t want this building demolished,” said Mr Collins, adding that the stories within these walls are the stories that made Cork.

“I look forward to this meeting. We are all united on this.”

Labour Party councillor for the North East ward, John Maher, said the historical significance of the structure “doesn’t lie”.

“The idea of bulldozing it down, it just shouldn’t happen,” said Mr Maher.

“It should be a space used for the community, for arts, heritage, and for housing.”