FOTA Island, a wonderful natural amenity, has always seemed to me to be Cork city's equivalent of Phoenix Park in Dublin or Hyde Park in London. The difference is that the Dublin and London versions have been available to the public for much longer.
One of the legacies of the landed gentry in this State, it was walled in and unavailable to the public. The great gates carried the family crest "Boutez en avant", but they might as well have used trumpets to say "Stay out". Society life behind those walls remained an arcane ritual for most Cork people. Things are different now, and the people of the greater Cork area, as well as from much further afield, are familiar with the parklands that form what really amounts to a national treasure.
The majesty of Fota and its specimen trees and shrubs is itself an invitation to browse through the beautiful park. It also contains a wildlife park with many exotic animals and a breeding programme which has proved very successful.
The youngsters love it. They can see live animals that only the television screens might have been able to bring to them, and while the argument about the intrinsic value of zoos continues, in the case of Fota it can be said that the animals are as free-range as possible.
The family day out in the wildlife park is one thing, but Fota House is another. The Fota Trust Company Ltd has just announced a £2 million restoration fund for the historic house which is the focal point of the estate. Prof Tom Raftery, formerly of UCC, was the main mover behind the project.
The Fota Wildlife Park probably would not exist today if Prof Raftery had not seen his vision through. Equally, the house and its restoration might never have been on the verge of completion. There have been difficult times during the attempts to save this historic house.
Mr Richard Wood, who donated a priceless collection of paintings to it at one stage, was a stalwart who wished to see the house restored to its historic significance. There were serious disagreements along the way which did not make a meeting of minds possible. This story has been catalogued here before. This one is about a new beginning.
Agreement has been reached in principle for a £2 million grant programme that could see the historic house opened to the public by Easter 2001. According to the Fota Trust Company most of the money will come from the European Development Fund, but State grants will also be available. The Office of Public Works will be in charge of the project until its conclusion.
Fota House was opened to the public from the mid-1980s, but was closed in the early 1990s following the collapse of some plasterwork.
The Fota Trust is chaired by Prof W.A. Watts, a former provost of Trinity College. Prof Raftery is the secretary. Together, they approached the OPW for assistance following the closure. Something had to be done urgently. Water was seeping in. One of the great houses in the Cork area was in danger of being lost.
The OPW generously awarded a grant of £300,000 and under the guidance of Mr John Cahill, an architect, measures were taken to ensure that the property would be kept intact. Mr Cahill, under the aegis of the OPW, will supervise the new project which should guarantee that the Regency-style building will not be lost.
Preparatory work on the project, by OPW staff, has been going on for the past month. The trust members: Duchas, UCC, Cork Corporation, Cork County Council, Fota Island Golf Company Ltd and an independent director, Mr David Bird, former chairman of the Queenstown Heritage Project, will be liaising with the OPW.
When restored, the house will be used for various functions, such as receptions, recitals and board meetings. It will also show visitors the history of the house and how the Barry family shaped it over the years. I would call this a good news story.
The Fota arboretum and gardens need no introduction to those interested in plant life. The Barry family worked closely with the gardens at Kew and Edinburgh and were active in seeking species from far away places which would grow successfully in the mild climate of the area. Planting in the Fota arboretum, according to Prof Raftery, began in the early 19th century. Records of the country of origin, dates of planting and growth rates were acquired by UCC in 1975.
There is also a new rose garden which is bordered by some 163 varieties of Irish-cultivated daffodils, the only such public display in the State. A £150,000 restoration of the orangery has also begun.