Vernon Mount on danger list

THE Irish Georgian Society is proposing to put a historic mansion in Cork on an international list of endangered buildings in an effort to force its owner to carry out significant repairs.

Donough Cahill, deputy director of the Irish Georgian Society, confirmed yesterday that his organisation is to submit Vernon Mount to the World Monuments Watch list of 100 most endangered sites.

That organisation is the foremost private, non-profit making group in the world dedicated to the preservation of endangered architectural and cultural sites.

Vernon Mount, in Douglas, was built in 1784 and is owned by Jonathan Moss, a multi-millionaire businessman who lives in the US.

“In spite of its beauty, its significance and its status as a protected structure, Vernon Mount now stands empty and in a desperate state of neglect.

“Window panes are smashed throughout the house, there is a large hole in the roof, and the gutters and down pipes, where they exist, are largely broken and ineffective,” said Mr Cahill.

The Irish Georgian Society and others have been lobbying for action to save the house, but so far to no avail. Legal notices were issued by Cork County Council requiring repair works to be carried out, but it is understood that nothing has yet been done.

In recent months council officials have been having discussions with Mr Moss’s representatives in an effort to resolve the situation. Mr Moss couldn’t be contacted yesterday and a council spokeswoman said she was not in a position to say how the talks were proceeding.