Headway on Kingston College project

The works to renovate the houses in Kingston College, Mitchelstown has led to a raft of speculation and rumour on the project, writes Marian Roche.

What is sure is that there are at least six, but most likely eight, houses that will be receiving intense TLC, with much of the labour being done voluntarily after a call for funds was made by Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Dr Paul Colton.

Work is progressing well, with one of the houses predicted to be ready in just three weeks. The community spirit that the project is showcasing may yet be on our screens, as RTÉ have expressed some interest in following the project through and using Mitchelstown as an exemplification of community spirit at work. Yet another whispering is that one Diarmuid Gavin may yet put his skills to King’s Square.

The intention is to use these newly-renovated houses to home displaced families from the war in Ukraine. While fundraising to renovate the houses has been on the cards by the Kingston Trust for a number of years at a cost of approximately €30,000 per house, funds were slow to come in.

As is the wont of the world, crisis spurs action and in this case, the call for funding made by the Bishop was answered. Encompassing the spirit of meitheal, a group is now cobbled together to undertake this work.

Speaking previously with The Avondhu, secretary of the charity the Kingston College Trust, Billy Skuse acknowledged the fact that a project like this will unavoidably raise questions about the Irish housing problem, and that the Irish Housing Crisis is ‘still very much part of the Trust agenda’.

Of course, the Kingston College project is not the only domestic issue that the arrival of refugees into the country has put a spotlight on, but supporters of the project speaking with The Avondhu have expressed their belief that a crisis like that in Ukraine must be addressed as one of urgency. More details on the Kingston College project will emerge as works continue.