Murphy's Rock is a valuable part of Cork's natural heritage

Building a road over one of the Northside's only unspoilt green areas would be a tragedy for the city 

Locals say Murphy's Rock is an area of outstanding beauty and environmental importance which needs to be preserved for future generations. File picture

As children, my father would walk with us through Murphy’s rock, a fragment of river valley on the northside of Cork City. Invariably, there would be a dog in tow. 

Starting from the Kilcully side, we’d explore the remnants of a ruined corn mill. The fallen leaves (it was always autumn in my memory) were deep red and brown, covering the ruins to the extent that you couldn’t tell where large lumps of stone and masonry were hidden until you tripped over one and landed face down in a pile of leaves. With any luck, you avoided a hard landing.