KINSALE’S iconic 20ft lobster pot Christmas tree, which has raised thousands of euro for local charities, will be absent from the pier this Christmas due to issues surrounding public liability insurance.
Fisherman Eamonn O’Neill confirmed to The Southern Star that he won’t be erecting the quirky and much-loved tree this Christmas after he received an email from Cork County Council last week asking him to get insurance to indemnify them.
His creation, using over 170 of his own lobster pots, ‘went viral’ last year after writer, broadcaster and former spindoctor Alastair Campbell shared a photo of the tree to his 1m Twitter followers calling it his ‘Unusual tree of the Day’. It also caught the attention of UK Labour leader Keir Starmer and his family who spent New Year in Kinsale. Eamonn was inspired to create it after spotting a similar one when he was fishing up the west coast of Scotland a few years ago and in recent years it has raised money for both the Kinsale RNLI and The Well Project.
‘I asked Cork County Council last year to cover the tree on their insurance but this year they said they are looking for public liability for all my gear on the pier, including me working on the pier. I was told this was only to cover fishermen and not all port users,’ said Eamonn.
'The tree comes under my fishing gear as it’s made up of lobster pots. They are looking for €6.5m public liability cover for the pier. Why do the fishermen have to pay insurance but any other port user doesn’t have to?’
Eamonn said he is disappointed that the tree won’t feature this year as it was ‘something different’ and – more importantly – it raised money for local charities. ‘It’s too late now to get it ready and people are disappointed.’
Local fundraiser Tricia McLernon said people are devastated that the famous tree won’t be appearing this Christmas as it had captured the public’s imagination. ‘It’s a huge loss to the town as well as to local charities.'
‘Eamonn was great for coming up with new ideas, including making an illuminated lobster as a tree topper last year, which he auctioned off to the highest bidder. The tree became a tourist attraction for everyone,’ said Tricia. C
llr Alan Coleman (Ind) said it’s a pity and a shame it won’t be on the pier this year, as it was a lovely thing to do and it raised money for local charities.
Meanwhile, commentators were vocal online, with Sarah Trevethan saying ‘The Council have gone mad, ruining our town little by little,’ while Aisling Minihane said the decision was ‘awful’.
A spokesperson for County Council confirmed that all activities on Kinsale pier are insured for public liability. ‘If a party wants to use Council facilities, as in this case, then they need insurance to cover their liability.’
