Monkstown residents protest to protect its island

Members of Monkstown Community Heritage Group and the Tidy Towns Committee are hosting a public protest meeting tomorrow night, Tuesday 1st of April at the Bosun Restaurant to help save its 'island'.

Cork County Council plan to build a greenway through Monkstown village, which means removing the island; an area of greenery that is kept by local resident groups with no plans for its relocation.

The island

Residents are disputing the plans saying that the overall effect of what the council is proposing is to favour cars, traffic and not people.

A spokesperson for Monkstown Community Heritage Group said "It is more interested in cars than people, it's making the village unsafe and destroying its heritage".

Both the villages Community Heritage Group and Tidy Towns committee are fighting the plan and say they have offered the council alternative options, but claim the planners "won't listen".

Local schoolchildren protested at the island about potential dangers from the road plan and villagers have erected 'Save Our Island' signs and covered the trees with white cloth.

"It is the only bit of green in the village centre and is used by the community. Planners should listen to the people, who know their home place and what is best. Planners do not, they are just dictating, not listening."

Local school children protesting at the island recently