Cork's Glen - JCB protest halts demolition of bird sanctuary

Tuesday April 29, 2003 10:54

by Sean - Reclaim the Glen (Cork)

City Council fiddle while builder demolishes protected habitat

Last Friday Cork City Council served an Enforcement Order on developers working at the former Murphy's Quarry in Goulding's Glen on Cork's Northside. This was a full week after the builders started to demolish the sandbank which is home to several hundred pairs of nesting sandmartins - a rare species in Ireland.

Incredibly the developers D&J Construction (D& J Coleman) ignored the Enforcement Order and work continued at the site over the weekend. Yesterday one concerned citizen risked personal injury by jumping on the JCB which was demolishing the sandbank. Gardai were called and the protester was taken to Mayfield Garda Station. He was released an hour or so later.

The JCB is continuing to work on the site, but has moved away from the most contentious area.

Goulding's Glen is an ancient glacial valley on the Northside of Cork. The Glen River and part of the River Bride flow through the Glen. In the 1850s it was the site of Goulding's Fertiliser Factory but was given as a gift to the people of Cork some decades ago by the late Sir Basil Goulding.

Since then part of the area has been developed as the Glen Amenity Park - with walkways, seating and plenty of green space in what is otherwise a totally urban setting.

Unfortunately this all under threat. In January 2002 Cork City Council inexplicably rezoned part of the Glen for housing by a private developer. The prime mover was Val O'Connor - Cork's top Funeral Director. Latest information has it that Mr. O'Connor sold the land because he couldn't stick the heat from opponents of the destruction of Goulding's Glen. Rumour has it that Val got a cool €2 million for the site - trebling what it cost him.

Cork Corporation could have bought the whole Murphy's Quarry site for a song in the 1980s but weren't interested.

Full details on the Goulding's Glen saga, including photos can be seen on the Indymedia Newswire at

http://www.indymedia.ie/cgi-bin/newswire.cgi?id=44718

The present situation is that the Builders D&J Coleman are continuing to demolish part of the sandbanks and the sandmartins are still under very serious threat. This is despite strict conditions being imposed on the development by An Bord Pleanala.

We urge you to ring the Developers and demand an end to their destruction of this unique habitat. D&J Coleman can be contacted at (021) 438 5198. Their address is D&J Coleman, Construction House, Kerry Road, Tower, Blarney, Co. Cork.

Cork City Council Planning Dept have been very slow on this issue. Ask them to wake up to the destruction of Goulding's Glen. Tel: (021) 492 4564. The reference No. for this case is TP.23/777/99.