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St. Kevin's Hospital is on fire

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13

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    #62
    j8wk2feszrnpao
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,438 ✭✭✭j8wk2feszrnpao


    KC161 wrote: »
    That building is well known across Ireland, and in some cases beyond.

    I for one have been a keen follower of it and its history for the last 25 years since i first discovered it existed (i was a very young boy then).
    And good for you. For those who have a keen interest in it, I'm sure it's fascinating and also a loss.
    But the tone of borderline snobbery from some towards those who don't have the same passion.......come on.


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    #63
    leeside11
    Registered Users Posts: 147 ✭✭leeside11


    Avatar MIA wrote: »
    Would love to see some pics of the hospital back when it was functioning including the corridor. 2002 isn't that long ago.

    I'm fairly sure that some staff members published a book on their time there some years ago. Don't know if there were any images included..


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    #64
    boardsuser1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    Avatar MIA wrote: »
    Would love to see some pics of the hospital back when it was functioning including the corridor. 2002 isn't that long ago.

    I learned how to drive on those grounds, every time the security guard seen us he threatened us with the Gardai.

    The tunnel was decommissioned by that stage.


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    #65
    northgirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,434 ✭✭✭northgirl


    leeside11 wrote: »
    It's a really interesting and creepy set of buildings. They basically packed it with severely mentally ill people and threw away the key. There are some horrible stories around about the conditions there.

    Agreed, it's an interesting place for sure but it was full of people with no mental illness issues too. I have mixed feelings on what's after happening to the building. I grew up nearby and still live here and it's a shame it was left for so long that this happened. I passed it earlier and I felt genuine sadness at part of Cork's heritage being lost. With that said, it's history is quite terrifying and in some ways I feel it could be the best thing that could have happened.


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    #66
    Colser
    Registered Users Posts: 5,572 ✭✭✭Colser


    I agree but in saying that I'm trying to separate the building from what went on in there.What really annoys me is the fact that concern is being expressed now that it's been destroyed but it's too late,I don't feel that you can rebuild an iconic building.It's such a shame and Vernon Mount was a sin imo..it was a beautiful building.


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    #67
    Kerry25x
    Registered Users Posts: 554 ✭✭✭Kerry25x


    Does anyone have a link to where I could read about the history of the place? I had a look at the Abandoned Ireland website but I'd love to get more information. I've tried googling but that just turns up pages of results relating to this fire.


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    #68
    boardsuser1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    Kerry25x wrote: »
    Does anyone have a link to where I could read about the history of the place? I had a look at the Abandoned Ireland website but I'd love to get more information. I've tried googling but that just turns up pages of results relating to this fire.

    There's a guy called Michael O'Brien who has photos on Flickr, videos on YouTube under the title of St Kevin's asylum. Try that. Some interesting photos.


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    #69
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

    Its not a case of " Hide it, cover it up, pretend it didn't happen. ".
    If its not being developed as either an amenity or another commercial/residential development, nationalise the thing, and open it up to the public if there is sufficient public interest. Have a look at Doneraile park: .http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/south-west/donerailewildlifepark/
    short money, but getting there.

    My comment was in response to the luddite who wanted it knocked years ago because they didn't like 19th century mental health practices.

    I am 100% in favour of re-using a building rather than letting it rot, or destroying it.


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    #70
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    Junkyard Tom wrote: »
    Sorry, but I had a bit of a chuckle to myself at the comparisons. Our passage graves would be Ireland's equivalent to the Pyramids and our Castles would be far more iconic than the Empire state.

    I've mixed feelings about the building. On the one hand it has historic significance but on the other I could imagine a lot of tortured souls being released to the heavens as it went up in flames.

    Lol. I was being a little facetious of course, but you've missed the scale of what I was talking about there. I don't see either passage tombs or castles lying around Cork city?

    The pyramids are beautiful structures with a horrendous history, maybe R&H hall is more like empire state. :)


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    #71
    whisky_galore
    Registered Users Posts: 16,315 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    Junkyard Tom wrote: »
    Sorry, but I had a bit of a chuckle to myself at the comparisons. Our passage graves would be Ireland's equivalent to the Pyramids and our Castles would be far more iconic than the Empire state.

    I've mixed feelings about the building. On the one hand it has historic significance but on the other I could imagine a lot of tortured souls being released to the heavens as it went up in flames.

    Oh you mean the passage graves that farmers would happily obliterate or the crumbling castles (not just the handful of showpiece tourist ones) that dot the landscape? Great pride in our heritage alright.


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    #72
    Roger Hassenforder
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    whisky_galore wrote: »
    Oh you mean the passage graves that farmers would happily obliterate or the crumbling castles (not just the handful of showpiece tourist ones) that dot the landscape? Great pride in our heritage alright.

    we cant preserve them all. A lot are falling down since they got the sh1te shelled out of them in the confederate wars. Its not a recent neglect thing.

    lovely castle in Liscarrol, being used for calves last time I passed it. I agree with you re we're probably not doing enough to preserve our ancient past, but if you know of farmers ( and in my experience, they're doing the most to preserve them!) obliterating archaeological features ( e.g. passage graves), you should report them, its a criminal offence. might be too late to save it, but an example can be made. like this guy


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    #73
    Avatar MIA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭Avatar MIA


    Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

    lovely castle in Liscarrol,

    Largest Norman castle in Ireland & the abbey Ruins in Buttevant would an active tourist attraction if in France. Or a World famous one if in America :D


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    #74
    zilog_jones
    Registered Users Posts: 6,638 ✭✭✭zilog_jones


    Colser wrote: »
    ...I don't feel that you can rebuild an iconic building...

    You should look at the city of Dresden, or the countless Japanese castles that have been reconstructed in the past century. Obviously, St. Kevin's is not in the same league though...


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    #75
    boardsuser1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    From reading the tabloids this morning a decision on the future of the building could be made as early as today.


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    #76
    Roger Hassenforder
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    Avatar MIA wrote: »
    Largest Norman castle in Ireland & the abbey Ruins in Buttevant would an active tourist attraction if in France. Or a World famous one if in America :D

    Buttevsnt and Glanworth have fantastic potential.
    The revenue Cahir and Bunratty castle attract would be very welcome in rural north cork! Nice heritage tour via Mallow castle


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    #77
    mik_da_man
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 9,948 ✭✭✭mik_da_man


    It just amazes me that this is allowed happen.

    Everyone knows what it was being used for recently and with the Mount Vernon incident so fresh in peoples minds, was it not thought that this building or similar ones may be next.

    I'm not from Cork, but really appreciate some of the historic buildings here and can't understand why they are left to be taken over as a hangout spot with potential for being destroyed.

    It's going have to be either demolished, or re-built now, at a huge cost.
    That same money could have been used to re-purpose it


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    #78
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    mik_da_man wrote: »
    ............

    It's going have to be either demolished, or re-built now, at a huge cost.
    That same money could have been used to re-purpose it

    If it's structurally sound they can just leave it there surely.


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    #79
    whisky_galore
    Registered Users Posts: 16,315 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    mik_da_man wrote: »
    It just amazes me that this is allowed happen.

    Everyone knows what it was being used for recently and with the Mount Vernon incident so fresh in peoples minds, was it not thought that this building or similar ones may be next.

    I'm not from Cork, but really appreciate some of the historic buildings here and can't understand why they are left to be taken over as a hangout spot with potential for being destroyed.

    It's going have to be either demolished, or re-built now, at a huge cost.
    That same money could have been used to re-purpose it

    Part of it was set of fire some time ago, so only a matter of time before another fire.

    Much of the problem in this country is a form of learned helplessness endemic in the likes of the HSE and councils and general laziness and lack of imagination in people here on how best to convert old buildings to modern use.

    Far easier to level old buildings and build anew, you wouldn't mind but many of the replacements are frightfully ugly. There's some shocking looking modern developments around the city, some like something made of Lego, others resembling bomb shelters or something from Stalinist Russia. Some of the architects involved should go to Specsavers.


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    #80
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,651 ✭✭✭Milly33


    Its the same thing they do all the time... Now lets see what will they build in its place, wait I know Apartments!!! and there will still be a housing and home shortage after that


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    #81
    boardsuser1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    Milly33 wrote: »
    Its the same thing they do all the time... Now lets see what will they build in its place, wait I know Apartments!!! and there will still be a housing and home shortage after that

    The vacant half of our lady's/atkins hall will be torched (again) yet.


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    #82
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,651 ✭✭✭Milly33


    Yep that too and it will be a big surprise to them


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    #83
    boardsuser1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    Milly33 wrote: »
    Yep that too and it will be a big surprise to them

    I'm only waiting for the church to be done.


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    #84
    Roger Hassenforder
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    whisky_galore wrote: »
    Part of it was set of fire some time ago, so only a matter of time before another fire.

    Much of the problem in this country is a form of learned helplessness endemic in the likes of the HSE and councils and general laziness and lack of imagination in people here on how best to convert old buildings to modern use.

    In fairness to the Council, in case of Mt Vernon, they went in (without the owners consent AFAIK) and did preservation works themselves. You can't make a property owner do works to a place unless a danger to public, something sonething constitutional rights to enjoy property.

    There's talks of a derelict property tax. Did it come in?


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    #85
    boardsuser1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    Roger Hassenforder wrote: »
    In fairness to the Council, in case of Mt Vernon, they went in (without the owners consent AFAIK) and did preservation works themselves. You can't make a property owner do works to a place unless a danger to public, something sonething constitutional rights to enjoy property.

    There's talks of a derelict property tax. Did it come in?

    In the case of St Kevin's though the council could have gone in surely?

    Especially when you consider that it is still owned by another government department.


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    #86
    Roger Hassenforder
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    KC161 wrote: »
    In the case of St Kevin's though the council could have gone in surely?

    Especially when you consider that it is still owned by another government department.

    its a pity they didnt. the HSE/Dept Health owned it, and its rare you'll see one arm of the state stepping on the toes of another. The HSE squandered a fortune on security. they were planning to move administrative offices there but chose the Victoria Cross road building. if they were any way decent they should have handed it over to the city as a gift if they had no future plans for it. or the minister should have made them.


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    #87
    boardsuser1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    This is potentially positive news.

    https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/cork-fire-st-kevins-facility-is-salvageable-says-hse-454236.html


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    #88
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,651 ✭✭✭Milly33


    Thats just BS sorry but they are still just going to leave the building go into more dis-repair..


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    #89
    beer enigma
    Registered Users Posts: 6,166 ✭✭✭beer enigma


    Milly33 wrote: »
    Thats just BS sorry but they are still just going to leave the building go into more dis-repair..

    Ah I dunno, good excuse to demolish it now on grounds of safety...that's valuable land suddenly freed up without the cost of maintaining a listed structure


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    #90
    boardsuser1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    beer enigma wrote: »
    Ah I dunno, good excuse to demolish it now on grounds of safety...that's valuable land suddenly freed up without the cost of maintaining a listed structure

    Which would be sold off for significantly less than its market value, this is Ireland.


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    #91
    whisky_galore
    Registered Users Posts: 16,315 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    KC161 wrote: »
    This is potentially positive news.

    https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/cork-fire-st-kevins-facility-is-salvageable-says-hse-454236.html

    "It is understood that an external security firm had been contracted to provide twice daily security patrols and that the site also had static guards on site on high-risk nights such as bonfire nights."

    This was rather p*ss poor, vandals don't conveniently show up twice a day for apprehension and having static guards on a handful of 'high risk' nights a year? Really? The place was a magnet for kids, vandals, so-called ghost hunters and all sorts.


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