OPW confirmation of ‘drinking parties’ held at historic site

DRINKING parties and anti-social behaviour at an important national monument in Kinsale have become an ongoing problem, according to the Office of Public Works (OPW).

St James Fort is just one of many monument sites across the country that have been vandalised or have become the scene of regular drinking ‘parties’.

In a report provided after a request under European freedom of access laws, the OPW said that ‘large drinking parties’ have taken place at the popular Kinsale site. 

When people finish with their bottles they smash them off the walls ‘leaving it dangerous for the public, bits of glass everywhere’, the report added.

Those intending on drinking there also have to climb the walls to get into the site, it noted.

Oak heads taken off doors at the historic fort, and window frames, were all used for fires, while the foreman had been called on a few occasions by Kinsale gardaí to open the gate to let people out that gone in for a party.

The OPW report added that these incidents would have been reported by locals in the area and that a lot of glass, cans and rubbish can be found there.

Meanwhile, the OPW also noted that fires were being lit a lot in Drombeg Circle, near Glandore, while at Castledonovan Castle in Drimoleague they found that from time to time people try to push in the gate at the bottom of the stairs to gain access to the upper area of the castle.

The issue of large parties taking place at St James Fort was raised by councillors in the Bandon Kinsale Municipal District last year, with one councillor describing it as ‘party central’ at weekends.

Cllr Marie O’Sullivan (FG) said she feared a tragedy could occur there because it’s so close to the water. She said the site was being littered with tents, chairs and piles of bottles and cans following parties at the site.

She also highlighted the fact that volunteers turning up to clean the site were receiving abuse from young people gathered there to drink.

Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG) said it is an important historic site and it should be protected by putting fencing up at a certain time in the morning or at night.