Cork Greenway Protests Erupt: Residents Fear Livelihood Loss

BREAKING: Protests erupted last night in Cork as residents voiced their fierce opposition to plans for a major greenway route that threatens their homes and livelihoods. This growing discontent centers around the proposed 300m-wide corridor for the Cork to Kinsale greenway, which many locals claim is being pushed through without adequate consultation.

Megan Sheehan, a local resident, passionately expressed her concerns: “I lived on a fault line in California, and the anxiety of that is equivalent to the anxiety we’re feeling over this greenway plan.” She joined a protest organized by affected residents outside the final public information event on the scheme, which will accept submissions until August 15 at corkkinsalegreenway.ie.

The preferred route cuts through her father-in-law’s dairy farm, impacting a site where she and her husband plan to build their home. “This is my father-in-law’s land. If it splits the farm, it will affect their livelihood,” Sheehan stated. She criticized the lack of meaningful consultation, saying, “It feels like they are trying to bulldoze my village.”

Neighbor Rob Power echoed her sentiments, highlighting security concerns for his young daughters with the greenway potentially just 100 meters from their home. “This is being sold as a benefit to tourism, but it just looks like lazy design,” he added, questioning the viability of the route.

Residents are also worried about the environmental impact, with Noreen Ring emphasizing the disruption to wildlife and farmers’ ability to operate effectively. “More worrying than anything is the lack of trust and transparency in this whole process,” she said.

A spokesman for Cork County Council responded to the unrest, stating that the ongoing non-statutory consultation aims to gather feedback from residents. “We need people to respond, make submissions, and let us know what they’re feeling,” he urged, emphasizing their commitment to avoid severing farms and to consider alternatives.

Meanwhile, in Monkstown, another battle is brewing as residents fight to preserve their “village island,” slated for removal under contentious plans for a greenway stretch. The acting principal of Scoil Barra Naofa raised safety concerns, noting that the island is critical for safe school bus drop-offs. “Moving the island would bring a busy carriageway closer to our pupils, posing a serious health and safety risk,” she warned.

The Monkstown TidyTowns committee proposed an alternative that retains safety for children while accommodating the council’s needs. In response, the council reiterated that the project has secured planning and is on a funding pathway but remains open to discussions with concerned residents.

As these protests unfold, residents are calling on the council to prioritize community concerns over development plans. This situation emphasizes the urgent need for transparency and collaboration in local infrastructure projects. The community remains on high alert as they await the council’s next steps and hope for a resolution that respects both their land and their voices.

Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.