Two brothers living in England are seeking to take possession of Mallow town park at the end of this month when a lease granted by their ancestors nearly 100 years ago expires.
They have asked Mallow Town Council to vacate the 34-acre park, which includes recreational facilities and pitches used by sports organisations.
The brothers, Michael and Patrick Jephson, whose ancestors owned Mallow Castle, have written to the council seeking to put in place arrangements for the handing back of the park when the 99-year lease expires on October 31st.
The park was given to the people of Mallow for use as an amenity in 1907 by the then owner of Mallow Castle, Katherine Jephson Norreys. It continues to be used by many local sports clubs, with Mallow GAA, soccer and rugby clubs all having pitches there.
The land also includes a children's playground, a park for older people and a car park. It is served by Park Road, which is a major arterial route through the centre of town for both residential and commercial traffic as well as Bus Éireann, which has a bus station on the road.
Patrick Jephson, who was equerry and private secretary to Diana Princess of Wales from 1988 to 1996, and his brother, Michael, have written to Mallow Town Council asking it for its suggestions on "the orderly handover of the property".
The Jephsons have specifically sought suggestions from Mallow Town Council on how the Park Road, the car park, the bus station and the children's playground are to be restored to them when the property is handed back.
Assistant Cork county manager Tim Lucey said yesterday that the council had made an offer for the park and was anxious to acquire it.
"It's a substantial site which is of great benefit to the people of Mallow."
It is understood that the council has offered the Jephsons €500,000 for the land but this has been rejected.
The council could now be forced to try and buy the land by compulsory purchase order whethe price would be set by arbitration.
The Irish Times understands the council has pointed out that it has no control over the Park Road as it is a national highway established by statute, and that the road was built with the express permission of a previous member of the Jephson family.
Mallow Town Council first made contact with the Jephsons with a view to buying out the freehold title over two years ago.
Members of Mallow Town Council have expressed concern at the possible loss of the amenity.
Labour councillor Seán Sherlock said the proposed move ran counter to the original intentions of the Jephson family in making the land available to the people of Mallow.
"I've a serious problem that an amenity which has been enjoyed by the people of Mallow since Adam was a boy must now be bought back at a market price."
Fine Gael councillor Noel O'Connor said that people in the town were grateful to the Jephson family for donating a lot of land for community use but people were concerned about the proposed change and believed the council should move to buy the land to keep it in public ownership.
Fianna Fáil councillor Dan Joe Fitzgerald said the council would be doing everything in its power to keep it in public ownership.
"It's a tremendous amenity right in the heart of Mallow and there are very few towns in the country with an amenity like it," he said.
A spokesman for the Jephson brothers last night declined to comment on the matter.
