Cllr hopes Camden will be open for summer

Cork County Council officials have broken their silence of the fate of Camden Fort Meagher saying they hope to open the popular site this summer.

At Monday’s meeting of Cork County Council, Fianna Fáil Cllr Audrey Buckley asked for a suspension of standing orders to allow for a discussion on why there has been no communication from the council executive to volunteers at the historic Crosshaven fort.

Volunteers have been unable to enter the fort since September 2022.

At the meeting, several local councillors voiced their frustrations at the lack of communication from the council, as well as the structure of council owned companies and the feedback they offer.

In response, Cork County Council Chief Executive Tim Lucey confirmed a health and safety inspection had been completed at Camden Fort Meagher and issues raised as a result of the inspection are being worked through.

Mr Lucey also confirmed that recruitment currently is underway to allow the fort to open this summer and that the site’s existing management company will be stepped down to allow the fort to return to the control of the Carrigaline municipal district.

Local Independent Cllr Marcia D’Alton told the Cork Independent that the update from the chief executive “is welcome but such updates should be an ongoing conversation, not a one-off after publicly expressed frustration.

“Communication is key to showing respect to the Camden volunteers, to councillors and to the public.”

Cllr D’Alton added: “The update has raised so many more questions which I hope will be answered at next week’s Southern Committee meeting.

“We’re all hoping though that the recruitment will be successful, and that Camden will be open for the summer,” she concluded.

Volunteers have spent the past 13 years maintaining Camden Fort Meagher and making it open to the public each summer since Cork County Council granted them permission in 2010.