Cork County Council Announces Reopening of Camden Fort Meagher

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank O’Flynn, Michael Lynch, Divisional Manager South Cork, Elected Members of Cork County Council, Cork County Council Staff and members of Crosshaven GAA Club.

Cork County Council is delighted to announce that the long-awaited reopening of Camden Fort Meagher will take place on Saturday, the 27th of April. The fort closed to the public for the 2023 season to facilitate essential repair work to safeguard the structural integrity of Camden Fort Meagher for many years to come.

Camden Fort Meagher is internationally recognised as being “One of the finest remaining examples of a classical Coastal Artillery Fort in the world.” For almost 400 years the fort played a key role as a strong strategic position for the defence of Ireland, the west coast of England and Wales. 65% of the fort is located underground in a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers.

The fort has had extensive restoration works recently completed on the casemate block. Specialist works included the excavation, waterproofing and backfilling of barrel-vaulted roofs. Traditional methods for stone cleaning and re-pointing of stonework with lime mortar to safeguard the integrity of the original construction were employed.  The restoration project has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Irish Construction Excellence Awards 2024.

In another new beginning for Crosshaven, and to coincide with the reopening of Camden Fort Meagher, Cork County Council is proud to sponsor jerseys for Crosshaven GAA Club’s newly established girls football teams, providing two sets of jerseys with the Camden Fort Meagher logo displayed on the front.

At the sponsorship event for the Crosshaven Girls Football team, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Frank O’Flynn said, 

These are exciting times for Crosshaven. The establishment of Crosshaven GAA Club’s first girls football teams is a huge positive for the area. The advantages of sport cannot be emphasised enough, we are delighted that the girls’ teams will wear the Camden Fort Meagher logo as it nears its reopening date. The extensive restoration works that have taken place during the forts closure to the public, will ensure that the fort will be enjoyed and survive for generations to come.

In addition to the extensive restoration work, the reopening will also see a new on-site ticket office and gift shop added to the visitor experience, which includes guided tours of the fort as well as a café with breathtaking views of Cork Harbour from its balcony allowing diners to spot the numerous cruise ships visiting Cork.

Chief Executive of Cork County Council Valerie O’Sullivan added,

As we prepare for the reopening of Camden Fort Meagher, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the volunteers back on site and to thank them for their amazing work in the past. Their dedication and passion continue to prove invaluable as we work together to preserve and promote this historical site for generations to come.

 

Camden Fort Meagher will remain open for an extended season from April to October. For further updates, follow Camden Fort Meagher on Facebook: Camden Fort Meagher and Instagram: @camdenfortmeagher.