The chief executive of Kerry County Council has been in direct contact with the Health Service Executive with a view to discussing a number of properties in Killarney town, including the deserted St Finan’s Hospital site.
The information was provided to Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Maura Healy-Rae, who has asked for an up-to-date report on what correspondence has been exchanged with the HSE and the Land Development Authority regarding the future use of the hospital buildings and landbank in relation to residential development.
While the response she received was not specific, the mayor was told that direct contact had been made by CEO Fearghal Reidy and a response is awaited.
In November of last year it was confirmed that the long since abandoned St Finan’s Hospital site was still subject to an ongoing assessment by the Land Development Agency as to its future use.
Information was sought from the HSE last July and the outcome of the assessment is still awaited.
Cllr Marie Moloney previously complained that the land has been idle in Killarney for years despite the fact that it would be perfect for housing.
“There has not been a single, solitary move on it. The council needs to put more pressure on the Land Development Agency,” she said.
What can be done with the actual hospital building is quite restricted as the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage has afforded it a rating of national importance that is of special architectural, artistic, historic and social interest.
The building, abandoned since 2012, had been added to the record of protected structures following a statutory public consultation process by the then Killarney Town Council in 2002.
While any work to the external features of the main building – including the stonework, windows, roof materials, gutters and drainpipes – would affect the character of the structure and would require planning permission, changes to the internal lay-out, including rooms, corridors and internal doors and windows, could be considered.
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- St Finan’s Hospital was designed by architects Woodward and Deane who were also responsible for the design of Queen’s College in Cork – now UCC – the museum building in Trinity College and the university museum in Oxford.
- Construction work commenced in 1849 and the facility opened in 1851.
- The building is of architectural significance as it is an outstanding example of the Gothic Revival style.
- The building is associated with a high level of institution and church building works that occurred in Killarney at the time of the Famine when the country was demographically, socially and economically decimated.
- Kerry County Council insists that architectural heritage such as St Finan’s is irreplaceable and the local authority has an obligation to ensure it is protected and conserved to pass on to future generations
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