Cork's historic prison to be demolished, confirms justice minister

The old Cork Prison is set to be demolished, the Minister for Justice has confirmed, despite being voted a protected structure by Cork City Council.

Councillors voted unanimously at the end of September to put the site on its protected structures register, but the process takes six months.

But yesterday Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan confirmed that he had directed that the former prison now be demolished, prompting a Sinn Féin TD to vow to continue the fight to save the entire prison. "This fight is not over," he told The Echo.

A letter from the Irish Prison Service (IPS) also confirmed the minister's decision, and added that concerns raised by the city council, elected representatives, heritage organisations, community groups and the public “primarily related to the historical and architectural significance”, so the plans would be modified to keep the gatehouse, stone bastion features and "sections" of the old prison walls, to incorporate them into the design for the “future large prison extension” instead.

Mr O’Callaghan noted that the cell occupied by nationalist Thomas Kent has been identified and he directed that it be retained and preserved as part of the redevelopment, while the two martyred Lord Mayors of Cork, Terence MacSwiney and Tomás MacCurtain, will be “appropriately acknowledged" in the new extension.

The IPS letter said that a new prison at the site was “vital” as the prison service was dealing with “the most severe overcrowding crisis ever experienced by the Irish justice system”.

It noted there is currently insufficient capacity for both male and female prisoners in Munster, so the proposed 230 male and 100 female spaces in the new Cork facility will mean “less of a burden” to people visiting relatives in prison. 

The IPS owns the site and there will be “efficiencies and synergies achievable by extending the current prison rather than commencing prison development on a greenfield site”, it said, adding that the project will bring new jobs.

There will be further public consultation, as the planning permission granted covers only the demolition of the old building, which has been split from plans for the construction of a new building, a decision criticised by council management.

Green party councillor Oliver Moran told The Echo that he welcomed preserving of the historic fabric, but said: “For the residents of the Glen, an expanded prison isn't a welcome neighbour.

“There will need to be deeper community engagement on the project. The campaign undertaken by residents also raised questions that deserve answers about why we continue to rely on prisons and why our prison population continues to grow.” 

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said it was a “shameful day” for the IPS and government, calling the remembrance plans “tokenistic” and questioning how the building can be commemorated while being used as a prison.

“If this government were really so concerned about prison overcrowding, they would not have wasted tens of millions in public money on installing infrastructure in Thornton Hall and failing to develop a prison there.

“This fight is not over. This building will be saved and we will fight for its place in Cork’s memory.”