New strategy aims to ‘breathe life into Shandon’

“For once, we’ve the weather to match our aspirations,” said the Green Party councillor Dan Boyle, Lord Mayor of Cork, as he launched the Shandon integrated urban strategy (IUS) in glorious sunshine yesterday.

Mr Boyle was speaking at a gathering in the garden of Shandon’s long-disused Butter Exchange, and he said he was proud to be part of “the latest, I think the strongest, attempt to breathe life back into Shandon, the most important beating heart of our city”.

The Shandon IUS, drafted by Cork City Council in consultation with the Shandon Neighbourhood Team and Consultancy Team, is “an action-based roap for the sustainable and heritage-led regeneration of the Shandon area over the coming years”, he said.

It was co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Town Centre First Heritage Revival scheme.

The strategy identifies 36 actions ranging from small to larger-scale interventions to be progressed by a number of stakeholders, including council directorates, public sector bodies, community groups and associations, charitable organisations, and business groups.

Among the actions set out in the strategy are proposals to regenerate the Butter Market and the Weighmaster’s House, as well as the restoration St Anne’s Church and Dr Mary Hearn Parks, and the revitalisation of Shandon St.

Last month, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage announced a funding allocation of €250,000 from its Historic Structures Fund to repair the clock and clocktower at St Anne’s. A decision on grant applications to fund the revival of the Butter Market and the Weighmaster’s House is expected in August.

Valerie O’Sullivan, chief executive of Cork City Council, said she believed that, despite many past attempts to revive the area, “I think this time is different”, with national and regional agencies working with a thriving local community.

“As a northsider myself, I definitely think this is Shandon’s time, and it’ll happen this time,” she said.

Tadgh McCarthy, who is a member of Shandon Area Renewal Association (Sara), said the strategy represented a great opportunity for the area.

“If we do get the funding for the Butter Market and the Weighmaster’s House, it will make an awful difference to lift the area,” he said.

Green Party councillor Oliver Moran said Shandon was synonymous with Cork and culture in the city, and deserved the opportunities regeneration offered.

“We need to get serious about dereliction and recognising the culture that is in places like Shandon,” he said.

Independent Ireland councillor Noel O’Flynn said he had spoken at the previous city council meeting about reviving the area.

“I said that Shandon could be the Montmart of Paris,” he recalled.

That would mean, he said, getting the infrastructure right, addressing dereliction in the area, and burying overhead cables.

“Everything should be done properly to make it a real tourist attraction,” Mr O’Flynn said.

Shandon St butcher James Nolan, who is a member of SARA, said it was very heartening to see so many local schoolchildren at the launch.

“They’re the next generation that’s coming up, and hopefully they’ll have a better area to live and work in,” he said.