10 January 2023
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Dominican Religious order are selling their St Dominic’s Retreat Centre at Ennismore, Montenotte – Cork Greens welcome Cork City Council’s efforts to purchase land for use as a public park
The Green Party in Cork has welcomed confirmation that Cork City Council is engaged in discussions with a third-party with a view to purchasing land at Ennismore in Montenotte for use as a public park.
Ennismore House and the surrounding land were put on the market for sale in September. It was confirmed then that the Dominican Fathers would sell the much-loved retreat centre after 70 years.
The City Development Plan adopted by Cork City Council in August zoned the land as a Landscape Preservation Zone and attached an objective to develop a new Neighbourhood Park on the site. However, it was unclear if the city would have an interest in purchasing the historic house or if it would be able to secure the land on the private market.
At a meeting of Cork City Council on Monday, Green Party councillor, Oliver Moran, asked officials about the steps taken to purchase the land for use as a public park.
Deputy Chief Executive Brian Geaney said that officials are aware of progress by a third party with respect to the acquisition of the property at Ennismore, Montenotte. However, he confirmed that the city is in continued engagement with the proposed landowners. These discussions put the provision of a public park “front and centre” of the future sustainable use of these properties, he said.
Cllr Oliver Moran of the Green Party, Cork City
Asked by Cllr Moran if this means the city is aiming to purchase the land, Mr Geaney confirmed that it was so.
Speaking afterwards, Cllr Moran said this purchase of the land would be welcome news for the community:
“Since news that Ennismore was being put for sale became known, I’ve been in regular contact with residents and officials about the sale. There’s great interest in the community in establishing a public park here and putting the practice that the Dominican Fathers allowed of the public using the grounds on a secure footing.
“The North East ward has the Glen River Park and Murphy’s Rock is now being recognised for the gem that it is, but the ward is still very poorly served by green spaces generally. The pandemic really brought that home to many people and spaces like Ennismore became all-the-more important because of it.
“There’s great opportunity in the site to marry a socially conscious use of the house with the public enjoyment of the land. That would continue the tradition of openness that the Dominican Fathers established on the site into the future.”The Green Party in Cork has welcomed confirmation that Cork City Council is engaged in discussions with a third-party with a view to purchasing land at Ennismore in Montenotte for use as a public park.
Ennismore House and the surrounding land were put on the market for sale in September. It was confirmed then that the Dominican Fathers would sell the much-loved retreat centre after 70 years.
The City Development Plan adopted by Cork City Council in August zoned the land as a Landscape Preservation Zone and attached an objective to develop a new Neighbourhood Park on the site. However, it was unclear if the city would have an interest in purchasing the historic house or if it would be able to secure the land on the private market.
At a meeting of Cork City Council on Monday, Green Party councillor, Oliver Moran, asked officials about the steps taken to purchase the land for use as a public park.
Deputy Chief Executive Brian Geaney said that officials are aware of progress by a third party with respect to the acquisition of the property at Ennismore, Montenotte. However, he confirmed that the city is in continued engagement with the proposed landowners. These discussions put the provision of a public park “front and centre” of the future sustainable use of these properties, he said.
Asked by Cllr Moran if this means the city is aiming to purchase the land, Mr Geaney confirmed that it was so.
Speaking afterwards, Cllr Moran said this purchase of the land would be welcome news for the community:
“Since news that Ennismore was being put for sale became known, I’ve been in regular contact with residents and officials about the sale. There’s great interest in the community in establishing a public park here and putting the practice that the Dominican Fathers allowed of the public using the grounds on a secure footing.
“The North East ward has the Glen River Park and Murphy’s Rock is now being recognised for the gem that it is, but the ward is still very poorly served by green spaces generally. The pandemic really brought that home to many people and spaces like Ennismore became all-the-more important because of it.
“There’s great opportunity in the site to marry a socially conscious use of the house with the public enjoyment of the land. That would continue the tradition of openness that the Dominican Fathers established on the site into the future.”
