In 2022 we included the (Windmill) Rock project in our entry for the National Tidy Towns competition for the first time. This is a multi-year project by ‘Friends of the Rock’, a sub-committee of Skibbereen Tidy Towns. A chronology of key milestones is presented as follows:
- 2009: Sub-committee made its first approach to Skibbereen Town Council for funding to clear scrub and landscape the Rock.
- 2010: Skibbereen Town Council prepared a preliminary report that recommended an upgrade of the Rock to enhance this area of natural beauty, historical significance and future amenity value.
- 2011: Cork County Archaeologist, Mary Sleeman, completed a report that focused mainly on the rock-cut houses that were lived in during the period of the Great Famine.
- 2013: Leader programme funding was secured from West Cork Development Partnership for a consultancy report on the future development of the Rock. This report was prepared by Cunnane Stratton Reynolds, Land Planning & Design (CSR).
- 2014: The CSR report formed the basis of a Part 8 planning application to Cork County Council.
- 2015: Professor Stephen Brighton of Maryland University, U.S. and a team of undergraduate students visited Skibbereen to undertake an excavation of three of the rock-cut houses. Prof. Brighton concluded that these structures existed long before the 19th century, however, found no artifacts from the Great Famine period.
- 2018: Following the public consultation period for the Part 8 planning application in 2014 it became necessary to submit a second Part 8 application. Permission was subsequently granted.
- 2018-2021: Management of Japanese knotweed and furze was undertaken.
- 2022: Ducting works for lighting and drainage commenced. Bóthair Daoimhín was resurfaced with tarmacadam.
- Archaeological investigations are on-going.
There are a number of entrances leading to the Rock, including the two photographed below. The Idle Road (Bóthar Daoimhín) has been surfaced with tarmacadam and the other entrances are walkable too. The views over the town are second to none, all we ask is that you leave nothing behind but your footprint following the principles of ‘Leave No Trace’.
Funding of €243k was awarded under the 2022 Town and Village Renewal scheme to develop this major project further… watch this space for the next update on how it’s going…
For now do take a look at the 2014 plan for an idea of how the project design might unfold. And check out the amphitheatre located in Ballykeeffe, Co. Kilkenny – https://ballykeeffeamphitheatre.com/gallery/
Featured image courtesy of Garry Minihane Photography
Skibbereen Tidy Towns 