Gardaí may vacate fort in heritage centre plan

Gardaí may relocate from a station in Cork City amid plans to use the existing building as part of an interpretive centre.

The City Council is anxious to take over all of the buildings that were part of the 17th century Elizabeth Fort at Barrack Street. Within its walls is housed Barrack Street Garda Station.

The fort has a varied and colourful history since it was first built in 1601 by Sir George Carew, who named it after Queen Elizabeth 1.

The Office of Public Works also occupies some offices in the fort which they have agreed to vacate after the local authority offered alternative accommodation.

Damien O’Mahony, the council’s senior executive in charge of tourism, events, arts and marketing, said the local authority is planning to have free school tours of the fort up and running shortly.

Mr O’Mahony said the council was planning to put in some merchandising at the fort as well.

Ideally, he said, the council would seek substantial investment from Fáilte Ireland to build a major interpretive centre on the site.

In the event of funding being forthcoming, City Hall would request the gardaí to vacate their portion of the fort and swap for alternative accommodation.

Garda management, a senior officer confirms, believes the city council is very keen to get its hands on the entire building.

Mr O’Mahony, meanwhile, said: “It would be a perfect location for a major interpretive centre. It would require a substantial investment and, until that becomes available, having the property (garda station) vacant would be a liability rather than an asset.”

The original wooden fort was demolished in 1603 by the people of the city amid fears it might be used against them by James 1.

When Lord Mountjoy later assumed control of Cork, the fort was rebuilt in stone between 1624 and 1649.

In 1690, the fort was held by the Jacobites and was laid siege to by Williamite forces. They eventually breached the walls with canon fire and the city surrendered a few days later.

In 1719 Fort Elizabeth became a barracks for English troops. They vacated it in 1835 when it was turned into a women’s prison.

During the War of Independence it was taken over by the Black and Tans, but was handed to the Irish Government following the signing, a few years later, of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

In Aug 1922, it was attacked and burned by anti-treaty forces. The interior structures were rebuilt after the fire, some of which are used by the gardaí.