Maybe they could make it into a shelter for Polish and other Eastern European immigrants! "The Kingdom" http://www.the-kingdom.ie/news/story/?trs=cwgbcwidgb Thursday, January 24, 2008 Turning their backs on Kerry’s priceless gem By: Mary Murphy THE government has been accused of turning its back on the people of Kerry by neglecting one of the hidden gems of the county’s tourism industry. Eight years after the state pledged to provide the finance to give the historic Killarney House a new lease of life, the once proud building has been left to rot in the centre of Killarney town. The former residence of the McShain family, which was willed to the people, is now in a deplorable condition and the government has been accused of gross negligence for allowing the property to slip further into disrepair. Kerry senator, Paul Coghlan, said the building, which has enormous potential, has been left to crumble and it has been neglected to such an extent that the structure is now “seriously weakened.” Demanding immediate action, Senator Coghlan said it is now 11 years since the state took possession of Killarney House and the longer work on its restoration and refurbishment is postponed, the more the costs increase. In August 2000 the then minister for justice, John O’Donoghue, officiated at a photocall at Killarney House and pledged that once the necessary safety measures had been completed and planning permission obtained, the landmark building would be fully re-opened as an information centre for Killarney National Park. The plan was for the landmark building - once the home of Lord Kenmare - to double up as an exhibition centre dealing exclusively with local history and it would also serve as a research centre and library for the benefit of those with an interest in local history. But, eight years on, the government and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, have failed to deliver on the promise made to the people of Kerry. Senator Coghlan has slated the government for wasting time and missing a valuable opportunity to add significantly to Killarney’s tourism and cultural product. “Killarney House is situated in the town centre and it is a very prominent feature. It has enormous potential for the town and the region and it would be a useful cultural tourism asset in the south west,” he said. The Killarney-based senator said he fails to understand why work has been deferred on the project year after year and he urged those responsible to make a full and frank statement on the matter. “The government has been guilty of gross negligence in allowing the property to slip further into disrepair,” Senator Coghlan remarked. “Earlier estimates put the cost of the repair work at ¤5 million and it is now likely to be much higher. I cannot understand why restoration work has not got underway as the longer the house is left to rot the more expensive it will be to restore it,” he added. Early last year the Department of the Environment revealed that estimates indicated that infrastructure work on the house would cost up to ¤5 million but the government has failed to commit itself to this work and the project is still awaiting capital funding. “It was particularly disturbing to hear that Killarney House was not considered for any funding from the ¤137 million awarded to Fáilte Ireland under the National Development Plan to stimulate development of tourism projects,” Senator Coghlan maintained. “This is in spite of the fact that a comprehensive proposal was put forward by Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism which had the approval of the Killarney National Park Liaison Committee,” he added. “When the house was given to the state it was clearly envisaged that it would be restored as a visitor and information centre,” Senator Coghlan insisted. “If the Department of the Environment is not prepared to advance matters it should immediately consult with the local authorities in Kerry and other interests to explore the possibility of setting up a public-private part-nership to redevelop the house,” he added. According to Senator Coghlan, possible uses for the house could include a significant arts venue for Killarney or an audio-visual facility for the national park. It would also easily facilitate large-scale civic and other town receptions. The Fine Gael senator has vowed to continue piling pressure on the Environment Minister, John Gormley, to take action on Killarney House to ensure it is properly restored and open to the public, in some guise, as soon as possible. The expansive gardens surrounding the house and the spectacular Cherry Drive walkway which leads to Knockeeer have been opened to the public since the summer of 2000 but the doors to the house itself remain firmly bolted. Eight years ago Minister O’Donoghue divulged that a liaison committee would be formed to plan the future of Killarney House and that body would represent the interests of the local community who had an interest in the future of such an important facility. The solid wood doors of Killarney House, he vowed, would swing open to the public as an integral part of Killarney National Park and that would occur, the minister indicated, as soon as safety works were completed and permission for change of use was obtained. Mr O’Donoghue further indicated that the valuable and feature artwork and furniture of Killarney House, which had been secured from the McShain family, would be conserved and placed on display in reception rooms in the building when it was opened to the public. Eight years on the contents remain in cold storage along with plans to restore Killarney House to all of its former glory. As far back as three years ago concern was expressed at a meeting of Killarney Town Council that Killarney House was being seriously neglected by the state. “We’re leaving it fall derelict. No attempt is being made to deliver on what they promised at the very start,” said Cllr Donal Grady. “We were told it was going to be the jewel in the crown but at the way it is going at the moment, they will have to get a JCB and knock it,” he added. Cllr Grady said Killarney Town Council was determined to keep the issue at the top of its agenda and he criticised government politicians for breaking promises on Killarney House. “What they promised some years ago has totally fallen. They have totally forgotten about what they promised to do,” he said. Killarney House is set on five acres of prime land in the centre of Killarney town. It commands spectacular views of Lough Leane and the surrounding mountains and the property is adorned by magnificent and mature beech, lime, chestnut and walnut trees. Killarney House was initially the outhouses of an 18th century classical French style chateau and in years gone by the gardens were ten times their current size, extending to the right and left. The lawns are extremely popular with locals during the summer months but they remain one of Killarney’s hidden gems as the magic of Killarney House is seldom referred to in the mainstream tourist brochures. There have been suggestions that Killarney House would make an ideal civic headquarters for Killarney, incorporating a town hall, a library of local history and an information centre while the sprawling and carefully crafted lawns would provide the perfect venue for open air civic receptions, when weather permitted.

Why not? With Ireland's history of huge emigration to the four corners, no doubt it's right that the country should be sympathetic to people seeking to work to try to better the lives of themselves and their families. -------------------------------------------------- From: "Ray Marshall" <raymarsh@mninter.net> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 5:26 PM To: "Kerry List" <IRL-Kerry@rootsweb.com> Subject: [IRL-KERRY] County Ignores 'Killarney House' > > Maybe they could make it into a shelter for Polish and other Eastern > European immigrants! > > > > > "The Kingdom" > http://www.the-kingdom.ie/news/story/?trs=cwgbcwidgb > > Thursday, January 24, 2008 > > Turning their backs on Kerry's priceless gem > By: Mary Murphy > > THE government has been accused of turning its back on the people of > Kerry by neglecting one of the hidden gems of the county's tourism > industry. > > Eight years after the state pledged to provide the finance to give the > historic Killarney House a new lease of life, the once proud building > has been left to rot in the centre of Killarney town. > > The former residence of the McShain family, which was willed to the > people, is now in a deplorable condition and the government has been > accused of gross negligence for allowing the property to slip further > into disrepair. > > Kerry senator, Paul Coghlan, said the building, which has enormous > potential, has been left to crumble and it has been neglected to such an > extent that the structure is now "seriously weakened." > > Demanding immediate action, Senator Coghlan said it is now 11 years > since the state took possession of Killarney House and the longer work > on its restoration and refurbishment is postponed, the more the costs > increase. > > In August 2000 the then minister for justice, John O'Donoghue, > officiated at a photocall at Killarney House and pledged that once the > necessary safety measures had been completed and planning permission > obtained, the landmark building would be fully re-opened as an > information centre for Killarney National Park. > > The plan was for the landmark building - once the home of Lord Kenmare - > to double up as an exhibition centre dealing exclusively with local > history and it would also serve as a research centre and library for the > benefit of those with an interest in local history. > > But, eight years on, the government and the National Parks and Wildlife > Service, have failed to deliver on the promise made to the people of > Kerry. > > Senator Coghlan has slated the government for wasting time and missing a > valuable opportunity to add significantly to Killarney's tourism and > cultural product. > > "Killarney House is situated in the town centre and it is a very > prominent feature. It has enormous potential for the town and the region > and it would be a useful cultural tourism asset in the south west," he > said. > > The Killarney-based senator said he fails to understand why work has > been deferred on the project year after year and he urged those > responsible to make a full and frank statement on the matter. > > "The government has been guilty of gross negligence in allowing the > property to slip further into disrepair," Senator Coghlan remarked. > > "Earlier estimates put the cost of the repair work at ¤5 million and it > is now likely to be much higher. I cannot understand why restoration > work has not got underway as the longer the house is left to rot the > more expensive it will be to restore it," he added. > > Early last year the Department of the Environment revealed that > estimates indicated that infrastructure work on the house would cost up > to ¤5 million but the government has failed to commit itself to this > work and the project is still awaiting capital funding. > > "It was particularly disturbing to hear that Killarney House was not > considered for any funding from the ¤137 million awarded to Fáilte > Ireland under the National Development Plan to stimulate development of > tourism projects," Senator Coghlan maintained. > > "This is in spite of the fact that a comprehensive proposal was put > forward by Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism which had the > approval of the Killarney National Park Liaison Committee," he added. > > "When the house was given to the state it was clearly envisaged that it > would be restored as a visitor and information centre," Senator Coghlan > insisted. > > "If the Department of the Environment is not prepared to advance matters > it should immediately consult with the local authorities in Kerry and > other interests to explore the possibility of setting up a > public-private part-nership to redevelop the house," he added. > > According to Senator Coghlan, possible uses for the house could include > a significant arts venue for Killarney or an audio-visual facility for > the national park. It would also easily facilitate large-scale civic and > other town receptions. > > The Fine Gael senator has vowed to continue piling pressure on the > Environment Minister, John Gormley, to take action on Killarney House to > ensure it is properly restored and open to the public, in some guise, as > soon as possible. > > The expansive gardens surrounding the house and the spectacular Cherry > Drive walkway which leads to Knockeeer have been opened to the public > since the summer of 2000 but the doors to the house itself remain firmly > bolted. > > Eight years ago Minister O'Donoghue divulged that a liaison committee > would be formed to plan the future of Killarney House and that body > would represent the interests of the local community who had an interest > in the future of such an important facility. > > The solid wood doors of Killarney House, he vowed, would swing open to > the public as an integral part of Killarney National Park and that would > occur, the minister indicated, as soon as safety works were completed > and permission for change of use was obtained. > > Mr O'Donoghue further indicated that the valuable and feature artwork > and furniture of Killarney House, which had been secured from the > McShain family, would be conserved and placed on display in reception > rooms in the building when it was opened to the public. > > Eight years on the contents remain in cold storage along with plans to > restore Killarney House to all of its former glory. > > As far back as three years ago concern was expressed at a meeting of > Killarney Town Council that Killarney House was being seriously > neglected by the state. > > "We're leaving it fall derelict. No attempt is being made to deliver on > what they promised at the very start," said Cllr Donal Grady. > > "We were told it was going to be the jewel in the crown but at the way > it is going at the moment, they will have to get a JCB and knock it," he > added. > > Cllr Grady said Killarney Town Council was determined to keep the issue > at the top of its agenda and he criticised government politicians for > breaking promises on Killarney House. > > "What they promised some years ago has totally fallen. They have totally > forgotten about what they promised to do," he said. > > Killarney House is set on five acres of prime land in the centre of > Killarney town. It commands spectacular views of Lough Leane and the > surrounding mountains and the property is adorned by magnificent and > mature beech, lime, chestnut and walnut trees. > > Killarney House was initially the outhouses of an 18th century classical > French style chateau and in years gone by the gardens were ten times > their current size, extending to the right and left. > > The lawns are extremely popular with locals during the summer months but > they remain one of Killarney's hidden gems as the magic of Killarney > House is seldom referred to in the mainstream tourist brochures. > > There have been suggestions that Killarney House would make an ideal > civic headquarters for Killarney, incorporating a town hall, a library > of local history and an information centre while the sprawling and > carefully crafted lawns would provide the perfect venue for open air > civic receptions, when weather permitted. > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IRL-KERRY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message