While some works have been undertaken on the old Presentation Convent building in Mitchelstown, it still remains on the derelict sites register.

Mr John O'Dell, Executive Engineer with Cork County Council informed Monday's Norther Committee Meeting that communication has been received from the receiver in relation to the notice. Outstanding works include the repairs to the windows on the first floor and repair works to the roof and, until such time as all outstanding works as listed on the notice have been undertaken, the property shall remain on the register.

Local man Timmy White, who had been campaigning to preserve the building, spoke to The Avondhu on Wednesday, pointing out that the windows on the first floor referred to by the council 'cannot be repaired'.

"There is nothing left of the beautiful stain glass on those windows. When I called on the council and the people of Mitchelstown to take action to have the building and the windows preserved, I was ignored.

"People must remember that when the developer applied for planning permission to develop the site with cinemas and God knows what, those windows were in pristine condition. A local cultural group were supposed to have been given part of the convent for an interpretaive or cultural centre, and we can see what happened to that. Once the developer got permission, he had a 'for sale' sign up on it within a couple of weeks.

"As a native of the town, I am disgusted and disappointed at the outcome to date and it's the people of Mitchelstown that are to blame for the state the building is in, as they did nothing whatsoever to protect it," he concluded. He also added that the windows should be immediately boarded up and the roof repaired 'if it has any chance of redemption'.

blog comments powered by Disqus