COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE/FIRHOUSE/BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 08, 2020

QUESTION NO. 3

QUESTION: Councillor David McManus

To ask that the green area around the historic ruins on Hermitage Park Rathfarnham Dublin 14 is rotavated and assistance is provided to the Hermitage Residents Association so that new landscaping and flowering can occur at this location.

REPLY:

The Council's Public Realm Section has been in close contact over the past 12 months with the Hermitage residents association in relation to the Priory ruins.  In October/November 2019 the Public Realm Section did an extensive clearance around the ruins removing large quantities of debris and vegetation that was blocking the view of the ruins, and pruning some of the old ivy back on the walls as per the SDCC achitectural conservation officer's recommendations. It should be noted that extensive removal of the ivy is not recommended by the conservation officer. 

It was planned that works would recommence during the spring, when the grass would be less saturated with rain water, to plant a wildflower area at the ruins which the HRA want to install. The location proposed by the residents was considered unsuitable as weeds currently grow in the area in question, Public Realm proposed an alternative location just in front of the ruins which has been agreed between SDCC and HRA.  Due to Covid 19 restrictions however the works planned for the spring have not yet taken place.  The Council has remained in contact with the residents association and has kept them informed with regard to the delay and the proposed date for resumption of the work.  It is planned that the development of the wildflower area will now be done at the end of September/start of October and the residents association has been informed accordingly.