Historian and Independent Councillor Kieran McCarthy has expressed disappointment that the development of Elizabeth Fort as a tourist product will not progress in the short term. Fáilte Ireland have expressed a disinterest in funding an interpretative centre at the fort, stating that other forts in the harbour will represent the Cork region’s history of fortifications. Cllr McCarthy noted at the last Cork City Council meeting to management that leaving Elizabeth Fort undeveloped comprises a series of missed opportunities – “we have spent four to five years developing a plan for the fort – this is the most prominent landmark in the city region after Shandon. It is unique in Ireland to have an Elizabethan Fort still standing in an inner city space. The fort is the flagship project for the South Parish Local Area Plan. The re-opening of the ramparts, thanks to the OPW, has helped to inspire re-generation on the street and put a pep in the work of planners trying to get landlords of empty properties on Barrack Street to develop them.

    Cllr McCarthy continued; “The re-opening of the fort has sent out a message that long term vacancy and dereliction on Barrack Street will not be tolerated. This message will now be diluted due to lack of investment. The fort should be the tourist structure to tell the early origins story of Ireland’s southern capital from the Vikings to nineteenth century industrialist housing– it heads up a suite of historical sites in the local area – from Red Abbey to the 250-year old South Chapel, the new Nano Nagle Community Project to the story of Friar’s Walk and the Cork Improved Dwellings Company houses such as Evergreen Buildings. It is becoming more and more clear that Cork City is being squeezed out of campaigns of the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East. It is disheartening to see the lack of reference to Cork City in the website of Ireland’s Ancient East”. Cllr McCarthy has called on City Council officials to engage with Fáilte Ireland to put Ireland’s second city back firmly on the Irish tourist map; “New plans for Elizabeth Fort also need to be put together as soon as possible, so we can start preparing plan b to secure the fort’s future”.