Planners give green light to Mallow sports campus
PLANNERS with Cork County Council have given the green light to an ambitious plan by the Cork Education and Training Board (CETB) for a sports campus on land at Sexton’s Boreen in Mallow.
In February of last year the CETB lodged an application with the council for the facility on a Greenfield site at Carrokeel close to Davis College.
The application made provision for a grass playing pitch, an eight-lane running track, changing facilities, floodlights 40 car and two bus parking spaces and associated works including the widening of Sexton’s Boreen.
The planning process was not as smooth as had been hoped with a number of observations lodged against the development.
These addressed a number of issues of concern including, a lack of parking spaces within the boundaries of the development and traffic safety in its environs, noise and light pollution, the potential for anti-social behaviour and its impact on the environment, with one submission suggested these factors could lead to the depreciation of local properties.
A common thread was that there had been a lack of public consultation over the development, with some suggesting that a nearby field, formally home to Mallow RFC, would be more suitable for it.
However, following a request for further information on the application, planners have given the development their stamp of approval with 52 separate conditions.
These deal with a variety of issues under headings covering orderly development, visual and residential amenity, the protection of the local environment and wildlife, public and road safety and water pollution.
“Subject to compliance with the conditions set out, the proposed development would not seriously injure the amenities of adjoining property or the area and would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” ruled the authority.
The project has been welcomed by local county councillor Tony O’Shea (FG), who said it was “great news for local school, Mallow Athletic club and the local community.
“Cork County Council has been working closely with the CETB and sporting groups in the area to bring about more facilities for Mallow.
I look forward to working with everyone in bringing this one to fruition,” he said.
The Cork County Athletics Board described the news as a ‘ huge boost’ for athletics in north Cork and Mallow.
“The facility will be welcomed by all clubs in the North Cork Area, and well beyond, as it is the first full-sized track in the county, outside of the Mardyke and CIT tracks, both in Cork City,” said a spokesperson.
“Travel from north Cork, to either city tracks, was problematic at the best of times - this development means that clubs might now only need, say 30 minutes, travel each way for training, whereas, until now, a trip to either of the city tracks might need considerably more time, due to traffic log-jams along the way.”
IT was one of the key ambushes of the War of Independence, an engagment which transformed the course of the conflict.
The ambush at Cúl na Cathrach would be carried out by the Volunteers of the IRA ‘Flying Column’, formed in early January 1921 and including men from the 1st and 2nd Battalions of Cork No. 1 Brigade, but also members of the 7th Battalion (Macroom) and 8th Battalion (Baile Mhúirne/Cúil Aodha). Witness statements record Sean O’Hegarty as having had command of the Flying Column at that time.
It was the early hours of the morning of February 25, 1921 that up to 60 men took up their positions - there were four squads of riflemen and two machine gun positions, one of them (No. 2 Position) which was manned by Eugie Ó Suilleabháin. The Cúil Aodha man had served in the trenches
during World War 1 and his experience would prove vital.
The other Lewis Gun was manned by a suspected saboteur and it jammed suspiciously after firing momentarily at the start of the engagement.
The No. 1 Lewis Gun position was located on high ground at the eastern end of the ambush area, on the northern side of the old N22 road, and was supported by the No. 1 Section
of riflemen.
The No. 2 Lewis Gun was positioned on elevated ground on the western edge of the small stream gully that ran northsouth through the ambush area and under the road. The gun position was supported by the No. 2 Section of riflemen.
It seems certain from contemporary records and from witness statements that the Auxiliaries were forewarned
in some way about the ambush and came out fully prepared to engage the IRA. The convoy, consisting of touring cars and tenders (lorries) transporting somewhere between 40–70 Auxiliaries from J-Company and approximately 7 RIC members, is reported to have arrived at the site much earlier than expected. Some witnesses also stated that the Auxiliaries approached with caution, with a
number of civilian hostages in front of the convoy, as human shields.
Witnesses report that the No.2 Lewis Gun was particularly effective in preventing the Auxiliaries returning to the lorries to retrieve further weaponry. Under steady fire, some of the Auxiliaries took cover in two cottages and associated garden plots, located on the southern side of the road, while those further back to the east took cover in a wooded area. It was at this time that one of the convoy vehicles was ordered back to Macroom to obtain reinforcements.
The Auxiliaries retreated into the cottages under heavy fire and reinforcements were sent for. Fighting is understood to have lasted between two and four hours.
When it was realised that the reinforcements were on the way for the Auxiliaries, the IRA made its escape northwards.
There are differing accounts as to the casualties inflicted on the British forces - the British claimed three had been killed, including Major Seafield Grant, but at least 16 British dead was the IRA estimate.
The ambush was followed by bitter reprisals by the Auxiliaries who burned out houses of those they thought would have supported the IRA action and carried out extensive searches looking for the attackers.