Environmentalists save historic archway from council demolition
Pipe-laying by Macroom Town Council has ceased at a site at Masseytown Macroom following successful efforts by Macroom District Environmental Group (MDEG) to retain a stone archway believed to be part of an old tan yard and possibly an earlier Society of Friends meeting house.
The council was scheduled to take down part of the wall located on council lands on Monday last.
“It was probably unsafe all along but when brush and scrub were removed as we opened the place we had a serious concern about its stability,” Town Clerk Kevin Curran said.
The council had no information either on the age of the structure or what it was. What they would do long term had not been discussed, Mr Curran said.
The MDEG mounted an immediate campaign when local residents discovered the situation on Friday.
PRO Ted Cook described the arch as “irreplaceable”.
“Under the planning act of 2000, all local authorities must keep a register of protected structures and this arch is a listed protected structure,” Mr Cook said. “Why is it ultimately up to a voluntary NGO like our group to try and conserve the like of St Coleman’s and this arch?”
We are living in “an age of unbridled development, particularly in the town of Macroom”, he added.
“There seems to be a systemic indifference to the built heritage in Macroom; we’ve seen it in relation to St Coleman’s Church. We’ve seen this dreadful state of that church and now we nearly lost this arch.”
The archway is part of Macroom’s industrial heritage, Mr Cook said, possibly associated with a Quaker meeting house and graveyard.
“We know we had Quakers in Macroom because the young William Penn was a practising Quaker in 1662, the son of Admiral Sir William Penn who was granted Macroom Castle,” Mr Cook said.
Solicitors for MDEG contacted Mr Foley on Friday who immediately acted, Mr Cook said. He also thanked the residents of Mill Lane for their vigilance.
Cork County Archaeologist Cathryn Power confirmed the site has dual protection under the planning laws and as a monument.
