Very important jewel in North Cork's crown set for continued investment
A commitment was made in recent days for the continued investment and development of Doneraile Court and Estate and in particular the re-construction of the Orangery (Conservatory) at Doneraile House.
Doneraile Court and Estate came into the care of the OPW in 1994 and over the last 30 years or so, significant investment has been made in the conservation and presentation of the estate.
In 2023, Doneraile attracted over half a million visitors (523,800) to the parkland with over 9,000 ticketed visitors to the house.
The estate, near the North Cork village of Doneraile, is famous for its literary and historical connections. Edmund Spenser wrote the famous poem, The Faerie Queen, while living nearby.
Fine Gael TD for Cork North West John Paul O'Shea who raised the matter with the Office of Public Works (OPW) welcomed the commitment for continued investment and development of Doneraile Court and Estate. 'I am delighted to see plans are proceeding for Doneraile Court and Estate which is one of the tourism gems of North Cork. A Conservation Management Plan (CMP) has been published for Doneraile Court and Estate and this plan identifies the Conservatory (Orangery) as an important structure (built in 1825-6 and taken down in the early 1970's) as an important missing feature on the site.'
Deputy O'Shea continued: 'The OPW have completed a feasibility report exploring the options for the reconstruction and potential uses for the Orangery structure to complement and enhance the current visitor experience at Doneraile. It will be fantastic to see this historical feature put back in place in Doneraile.'
In recent years, the OPW has invested considerably in the restoration of Doneraile Court.
In 2019, the ground floor was restored and opened to the public with the gardens opening in 2020.
In 2023, the first-floor restoration was completed with the house fully opened to include improved access with a lift and a changing places facility.
In 2024, works included the restoration of the gates to the Haggard and American Gardens, site access and improvement works to the Estate and new planting in the formal gardens and woodlands.
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Deputy O'Shea said the OPW is in the process of developing the Preliminary Business Case required under the Public Spending Code with a view to appointing a design team to develop a scheme to bring to planning and then follow on to construction to advance the project.
'There is huge public support out there for Doneraile Court and Estate,' said Deputy O'Shea. 'Works underway and planned for 2025 include repairs to the boundary wall, additional garden works, renewal of some of the interior exhibits and the upgrading of the public bathrooms.
'I am looking forward to seeing plans and works progress here over the year so we can make Doneraile Court and Estate more attractive that it is and to continue its popularity on the tourism stage for north Cork,' he added.
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