Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Gillian Coughlan, is delighted to announce that a significant project for Béal na mBláth will be completed in advance of the national event to commemorate the centenary of the death of Michael Collins in August 2022. The project is supported by the Department of the Taoiseach, Department of Defence and Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media as part of the centenary programme of commemorations.
The site will be restored to reveal its heritage value in the most sensitive and appropriate manner, serving as a legacy thereafter of the centenary itself. A design for the project has been developed by key experts in archaeological historic landscapes, memorial historic landscapes, historical analysis of the battlefield and ambush area, and drawing from an historic landscape assessment.
This design has guided the proposed interventions to the area resulting in a Section 38 application under the Roads Traffic Act 1994 to introduce traffic calming measures adjacent to the Michael Collins Memorial by the reduction of the carriageway width, renewal of surfacing and road markings, the addition of car parking spaces and associated works
Commenting on the project, Mayor Coughlan highlighted how, “Thanks to our partners, Cork County Council, in consultation with the local Béal na mBláth Commemoration Committee, will develop a project that is both sensitive and features minimal intervention but will increase the memorial’s legibility and that of its context. Through quality design, the Beal na mBláth project will reveal and re-establish this historic route through our heritage landscape. The site’s historical authenticity and integrity will be maintained while ensuring this national monument remains a legacy for future generations.”
This sensitive development at the monument will ensure its universal accessibility and will allow the visitor a chance to experience the landscape and feel what it was like in 1922 when the ambush took place. A map guide of the site and wider ambush area will enhance the overall visitor experience.
Welcoming the project, Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey commented, “The commitment of all the partners is evident through the funding and expertise brought to this project, ensuring the restoration of the landscape affords the appropriate commemoration of the events here in 1922, for the centenary year and for years to come.”
