Last week.
At the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in Cork – which is one of the homes being examined by the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation and where last month Minister for Children Katherine Zappone said the commission examined the home’s burial plot but had not conducted a geophysical examination of the site…
“Maintenance work” reportedly began on a stone structure, known locally as the Castle Folly, which backs onto a burial plot on the grounds of the home.
Further to this…
This afternoon…
Donal O’Keefe tweetz:
This is the scene at Bessborough today.
Survivors and families believe there are hundreds of babies buried in the grounds of Bessborough.
The unannounced partial demolition – without planning permission – of the castle folly has caused huge distress, especially at a time when the grounds are up for sale for development.
Meanwhile, last week…
Conall Ó Fátharta, in The Irish Examiner, reported:
The Irish Examiner asked the Order [Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary] what company was carrying out the maintenance work and if any expert was on site to potentially identify issues of concern should they arise.
It declined to answer these questions stating that it had contacted the Commission and would “deal directly with the Commission on all related matters”.
Meanwhile…
How the ‘Castle Folly’ at Bessborough looked before…
Well, at least we know where the bodies are buried. And that’s not meant to be a joke or even funny.
“The unannounced partial demolition – without planning permission ”
Are there any laws in Ireland, and if the answer is yes are they ever enforced?
Depends on who the perpetrator is , like usual …
Too true, unfortunately.
You don’t need planning permission to demolish a non habitable dwelling or a stand alone structure.
Unless its protected.
What de’ effin’ .úc
Like the brazenness ov’ em
This stinks to high heaven
Police on site immediately to halt
Oh no wait it’s Ireland
How strange. I’m familiar with a similar decrepit building, of a similar height and age, which has become a hazard. The owners have erected 10 ft wire fencing around it, with big red “do not enter” signs. Wouldn’t this be the way to address any concerns at this site, until we’ve determined if there are unregistered corpses lying beneath?
I’ll just drop this here. The last one specifically protects the folly as a National Inventory of Architectural Heriitage structure.
(from https://www.corkcity.ie/en/media-folder/planning/mahon-local-area-plan-2014.pdf)
Conservation
Landscape Historic landscape, water,
views, etc.
Bessboro House and
grounds, historic house
landscapes and built
elements, old railway
corridor, Douglas Estuary,
Lough Mahon, views of
significance, and elements
indicated in section 2.2:
Historical Context.
Conserve and enhance
landscape assets, including
those Landscape Preservation
Zones and Areas of High
Landscape Value set out in
the Cork City Development
Plan 2009-2015, and use
them to create a strong
sense of place and contribute
to amenities in the area.
Archaeology Sites protected by the
Record of Monuments and
Places (RMP), such as
Bessboro House and
Ringmahon Castle;
Newly discovered Sites of
archaeological significance
(e.g. CO074-130 and
CO075-083).
Potential for insensitive
development that affects
the heritage assets and
their setting.
Conserve, enhance
monument and setting.
Record of
Protected
Structures
(RPS)
Ringmahon House, Bessboro
House, Ursuline Convent.
Potential for insensitive
development that affects
the heritage assets and
their setting.
Conserve and enhance.
NIAH
structures
Bessboro Farm Buildings
Bessboro Graveyard Folly
Railway bridges
Conservation and
enhancement.
Identification and
protection of NIAH
structures, and integration
into development
schemes.
It’s on the protected structures database also.
You don’t need planning permission to demolish a non habitable dwelling or a stand alone structure.
Unless its protected.
You can’t demolish protected structures. This is a disgrace.
So they have no respect for our heritage either. Thugs.
http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?county=CC&checkbox1=true&datefrom=0&dateto=2000&checkbox2=true&classification=folly&checkbox3=true&name=bessborough&checkbox4=true&town=&checkbox5=true&townland=&type=advanced&page=1
It’s cool, Josepha will be down to protect it in a minute. Oh, wait.
Knock it down ffs
you are so boring
Don’t knock him he’s a protected structure.
They may be forced to rebuild as with KBC HQ
Very disturbing to see a beautiful structure as Castle Folly being bulldozed, what a shame or is it going to be rebuilt ?. I tried to find out more about the castle but had no joy.
As a builder looking at the structure before it was knocked didn’t seem to have any cracks , at least from the perspective in the photo. Does its destruction have anything to do with the burial ground ?.
Authorized by health and safety ?.
Conall Ó Fátharta, in The Irish Examiner, reported:
The Irish Examiner asked the Order [Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary] what company was carrying out the maintenance work and if any expert was on site to potentially identify issues of concern should they arise.
It declined to answer these questions stating that it had contacted the Commission and would “deal directly with the Commission on all related.
Are they hiding something, for what reason did they go to the expense of ordering demolition, am I missing something?.
Here is my contribution
The Ghost of Castle Folly
I should have left here long ago
I should have gone away
While stone is heavy in its heart
It does not like to stray
My walls were tall they kissed the sky
Foundations in the clay
They tore me down and slaughtered time
Now I must up and stray.
Hark, listen to those distant sounds
My ancestors in song
Their carriages and sailing boats
Once here have up and gone
Gone off to find another shore
Where they can be and stay
I must be off and follow them
I must be on my way.
Alas when I have reached that land
A far and distant shore
My ancestors will welcome me
And take me in for sure
The news that I relate to them
Will shake them to the core
You tore me down and slaughtered time
My walls they stand no more
You tore me down and slaughtered time
My walls they stand no more
John Gibbs
Very disturbing to see a beautiful structure as Castle Folly being bulldozed, what a shame or is it going to be rebuilt ?. I tried to find out more about the castle but had no joy.
As a builder looking at the structure before it was knocked didn’t seem to have any cracks , at least from the perspective in the photo. Does its destruction have anything to do with the burial ground ?.
Authorized by health and safety ?.
Conall Ó Fátharta, in The Irish Examiner, reported:
The Irish Examiner asked the Order [Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary] what company was carrying out the maintenance work and if any expert was on site to potentially identify issues of concern should they arise.
It declined to answer these questions stating that it had contacted the Commission and would “deal directly with the Commission on all related.
Are they hiding something, for what reason did they go to the expense of ordering demolition, am I missing something?.
Here is my contribution
The Ghost of Castle Folly
I should have left here long ago
I should have gone away
While stone is heavy in its heart
It does not like to stray
My walls were tall they kissed the sky
Foundations in the clay
They tore me down and slaughtered time
Now I must up and stray.
Hark, listen to those distant sounds
My ancestors in song
Their carriages and sailing boats
Once here have up and gone
Gone off to find another shore
Where they can be and stay
I must be off and follow them
I must be on my way.
Alas when I have reached that land
A far and distant shore
My ancestors will welcome me
And take me in for sure
The news that I relate to them
Will shake them to the core
You tore me down and slaughtered time
My walls they stand no more
You tore me down and slaughtered time
My walls they stand no more
John Gibbs