Friends of cathedral claim to be snubbed by council
They have also criticised the local authority for not allowing representatives from their organisation to address the Place of Worship: Planning and Heritage Conference which will take place at the Oriel House Hotel, Ballincollig next Friday.
Friends of St Colman’s Cathedral (FOSCC) spokesman Adrian O’Donovan criticised the county council for “not adopting a neutral position”.
Mr O’Donovan said that a number of speakers at the conference had supported re-altering the famous cathedral during an oral heating held by an Bord Pleanála in 2006.
The Bishop of Cloyne, Dr John Magee, wanted to remove the altar rail and extend the sacristy into the church. There was widespread opposition to the plan amongst parishioners, which led to objections and an oral hearing.
An Bord Pleanála decided to refuse planning permission.
Mr O’Donovan claimed some of the speakers at the conference from the US were actively involved in supporting the reordering of cathedrals there.
“None of us supporters or expert speakers at the oral hearing were invited to take part in this conference. We offered to send speakers but we got a negative response from Cork County Council,” Mr O’Donovan said. “This will therefore be a one-sided conference.”
A spokesman for the council refuted the Mr O’Donovan’s claims and said the conference was open to anyone to attend and air their views at it.
He said the conference was being organised in recognition of the inherent sensitivities associated with places of public worship, deemed to be of architectural, archaeological, artistic, cultural or technical interest.
“The objective of this conference is to analyse the issues arising in attempting to balance changing liturgical requirements and the fulfilment of statutory obligations to conserve the integrity of places of worship,” the spokesman said.
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