The Great Island Community Forum

Cork County Council have launched a new website www. mycouncil.ie which brings together existing Web services and adds or is adding a range of additional services and contacts. You can access some features of this site without registering but if you do register it should make dealing with the Council and checking on progress a lot easier. The above mail address should take you to the site or the Council home page has a link.

The Great Island Historical Society wish to mount a plaque to Fr Edmund Hogan SJ a noted scholar born in Belvelly. They are seeking the views of local people before proceeding. At a recent lecture on Fr Hogan who died in 1917 his considerable and varied literary achievements where outlined and one can only say that the village should be proud to honour his memory. The Historical society intend to raise the funds themselves and are only seeking the views of the Community. An article on Fr Hogan can be found on Wikipedia. If you have a view please post to this site

The Association made a Submission on the Draft Local Area Plan for The Cobh Municipal District The following are the main point's (1) That the 1700 hundred additional houses planned over the next 6 years cannot be supported by the existing Road infrastructure, particularly if those houses continue the trend of attracting people from out of town. That only local housing needs should be catered for until the infrastructure defincies are addressed (2) That Road rationing be considered. (example,. requiring Liner buses to be in Cobh before rush hour) (3) That the need for residents in this area to have safe pedestrian and cycle routes into Cobh and the hinterland of the island be met. (4) That any proposed bus service should serve the Island and not simply the Town of Cobh. (5) That the former IFI field in Carrigaloe be taken over by the Council and designated as a green space. (6) That the Belvelly, Ballard, Carrigaloe triangle be treated as a planning area in the same manner as Ballymore, Walterstown. (7) That the proposal to use the Cobh North Extension which encompasses the Townlands of Ballyleary and Ballywilliam as a strategic land reserve not be proceed with on the grounds that this area is (a) in many parts waterlogged and would require extensive drainage. (b) contains at least two former dumps, one of which was used by Verome, the contents of which are unknown (c) That the Ballyleary stream which feeds the Special Protection Area of Cuskinny Marsh rises in this area and flows through it and development cannot but have an adverse impact on the Marsh.

The Draft Municipal District local area plan is available on line via the County Council home page and as a CD available from the Council and local libraries which also have printed versions of the main document. If you live on the Great Island this plan has the potential to effect you. While the principal initial impact will be felt in Ballyoe and along the Tay Road there may be implications for parts of Donegal, Ballyleary Lisnaskea and Ballywilliam. We strongly urge everyone to take the time to read this plan and if warranted to make a submission on it.

Photos from Belvelly Carrigaloe and District Community Association.'s post

Work has begun on tidying up the cables on Belvelly Bridge. It seems that publicity and pressure from the Municipal council has at last provoked Eir into action. While any improvement is to be welcomed we not consider this to be a final solution to this problem. We understand that the Council is due to debate the situation and hopefully seek a permanent solution which will see the removal of this unsightly ducting. In the meantime we must acknowledge the efforts of Cathal Rasmussen and Robert O'Sullivan in helping to achieve this first step.

Photos from Belvelly Carrigaloe and District Community Association.'s post

With the assistance of Cobh Tidy Towns and the fantastic effort of the artist who lives in the area we have erected this work at the entrance to the old IFI field which hides the concrete blocks which prevent vehicle access to the field.

Belvelly Bridge The Eir cables slung along the Castle side of the bridge represent a disfigurement of a structure erected, it is said, in 1803. These cables have long been an issue and on the formation of the Association contact was renewed with Eir with a view to addressing the situation. Initially we had a positive response and believed that progress was being made, but as time has passed it is becoming apparent that we are being ignored. If polite request will not achieve a resolution to this problem then perhaps public exposure may.

Timeline Photos

Belvelly Bridge has survived a number of threats to its existence. During the War of Independence the IRA attempted to destroy the bridge. The attempt failed but it did sever the water main into Cobh. During the Civil War a Free State garrison was maintained in Belvelly school to prevent a reoccurrence. During the Emergency of WWII the Bridge was prepared for demolition with the explosives being held in Belvelly House. This task fell to the Belvelly Platoon of the LDF. Thankfully the attack on the harbour which would have triggered it's destruction never came.

Coast Watch Ireland are holding a training session at Cuskinny bay next Sunday from 9 to 12 am. This training is intended to prepare participants to take part in the coastal survey to be conducted from next month We all live in this beautiful harbour so let's learn how to monitor it

Carrigaloe traffic. On the 9th of August we met with Council Engineers and Councillor Cathal Rasmussen in Carrigaloe to look at our proposal to use CIE land for parking. The Council felt that the cost of creating parking in the area would be prohibitive. However they did outline a number of steps which they propose to take and which should be in place by October next. 1 The provision of additional signage including radar activated signage which displays a vehicles speed. 2 An extension of the continuous white line on part of the road. 3 The marking of a box for vehicles turning off the R624 onto Donegal Hill. 4 The cutting back of vegetation along the road. It was agreed to see how these measures influenced traffic behaviour and then see if additional measures, might be required. A slowing of traffic through Carrigaloe is necessary for the safety of residents however it does not solve the problem of Carrigaloe as a traffic bottleneck. Only investment either in the existing roads or a new route will do that. We would like to thank Gérard O'Hora and Robert O'Sullivan Cork County Council and Cathal Rasmussen for taking the time to come and meet us.

While everything reported in the recent Irish Examiner report on the sale of Marino Point may be accurate the sale has not in fact been concluded. Having been assured of prior notice we were surprised to see this article and contacted the Port of Cork. We were informed that the announcement was premature and it was not possible to confirm the details in the article. So the saga continues for a little while yet.