Bishop's Field

berrecka

Anyone know whats going on in Bishop's Field?
At least I think its Bishop's Field - the one that goes from the traffic lights in the middle of Taylors Hill, down by Rosary Avenue on one side and the halting site in lower Salthill on the other.

They have been clearing it away for the past few days. I tried checking the City Councils planning website, and thought I had figured it out - that it was prep works for a new retirement home for 40+ nuns in behind Croi Nua. But Ive since been told that that nursing home has already been built, so Im still at a loss.

Its such a huge, hidden field, Ive heard varying reports that it belongs to the Domincan nuns in Taylors, the Bishop (if that is Bishop's Field), and the HSE via St Annes.

Anyway, Id be interested to know whats going on there or what the plans for it are if anyone knows.

Thanks

snubbleste

Eh that's not Bishop's Field.

berrecka

Oh right, I wasnt sure. What is that field called then? I think I heard someone call it Feeney's Field before

snubbleste

Dunno.
It belongs to the Sisters of Mercy. They have sold off bits of it in the past to developers. There is a cool little underground structure in the middle of it, which served as an ice chamber/fridge in the past.

It has received planning permission for a new 43 bed convent with a ginormous car park

berrecka

They must be clearing the land to start building for that so. Its a huge site!
Seems strange to be building such a massive - 46 bedrooms and parking spaces - for retiring nuns. Like surely there will be less and less of them in need of housing in the future.

berrecka

... sorry, you were right there snubbleste, its going to be a convent, not a retirement home. And 43, not 46, bedrooms and parking spaces.

snubbleste

Maybe they need all the extra space to air their washing

berrecka

Or to kick the habit (sorry, that was awful!)

Iwannahurl

It used to be called the Bishop's Field, but I've also heard it being called the Nuns Field, which may be a reference to a change of ownership.

There was a controversial proposal a few years ago in the twilight of the Celtic Casino era, but it was turned down afaicr.

I believe the Dominican nuns are building some sort of residence there. The way it juts into the field looks awful, imo. Some fine oak and beech trees in the field, and it would make a nice park I reckon.

Mrs OBumble

berrecka wrote: »

Seems strange to be building such a massive - 46 bedrooms and parking spaces - for retiring nuns. Like surely there will be less and less of them in need of housing in the future.

Eventually, yes.

But for now there are huge numbers of elderly woman who need to be securely housed - and there are very few younger women for them to live with or to take care of them.

So flats it is.

Goodness only knows what they plan to do with the buildings when the current bump eventually die.




I've heard the halting site referred to as "Bishop's Field" because the bishop apparently gave the site.

Where is the bishop's house? I've been told it's Taylor's Hill, never sure exactly where.

snubbleste

It's the one with the blue walls.
The Bishops Field is the one stretching from his house south to Lower Salthill to incorporate the halting site.

Iwannahurl

The neighbouring land, stretching from St Anne's down to Devon Park, was also called the Bishop's Field in the past. It may have been a misnomer though.

chickencurry02

The new nuns retirement has been built, work had been going on for the last year. all finished now.