ONE of Kinsale’ most important tourist offerings, Desmond Castle, which has been closed for the past five years, is a ‘multi-phased and complex repair project’, which needs a full programme of fabric repair and refurbishment works before it can reopen to the public.
West Cork FG Senator Tim Lombard raised the closure of the castle in the Seanad and said that this unique castle closed abruptly in 2018.
‘This castle’s history is unique and goes back to the 1500s and is a classic urban tower, three stories high. It was once a prison which held prisoners from Spain, Portugal, Holland and all the way across to America,’ said Sen Lombard.
‘Since it was closed in 2018, we have been trying to find a pathway to get the OPW to carry out the required conservation works so we can reopen this important part of Kinsale’s heritage.’
Sen Lombard pointed out that another OPW site, Charles Fort has more than 100,000 visitors every year and said that the key issue is to build capacity in the sector so that Kinsale can have an offering that can cover all eventualities.
‘As this site is an indoor site, it works well with other sites we have. We need to see a timeline as to when the conservation works will begin. There have been continuous reports and talk about reports on the site itself.’
While acknowledging that the pandemic slowed down works, he said that the site has effectively been closed for five years. ‘We need to find a pathway to getting boots on the ground, get the conservation report done and off the back of that get something to happen on the site.’
He also said that they need to ensure that there will be real and meaningful consultation with the local community when the site eventually reopens.
‘There is a view within the local community that this site should be a Battle of Kinsale exhibition centre, which would look and feel very well for the people of Kinsale. We must have movement.’
Minister of State Peter Burke, deputising for the Minister of State with the responsibility for the OPW, Patrick O’Donovan, said that due to water penetration issues, the building requires a full programme of fabric repair and refurbishment works.
‘Several surveys have been completed on the building, including mechanical and electrical, a digital survey of the castle and a full building fabric report. The works needed to deal with the water penetration issues have also been identified,’ said Mr Burke.
He said it is a ‘multi-phased and complex repair project’ and that the OPW is now seeking to appoint an external conservation architect for the entire repair and refurbishment programme from preliminary design through to handover.
‘The target is to have the full design process underway and potentially completed this year. He said there are no immediate plans to open the site to the public as more work needs to be carried out to develop the interpretation programme for the site.