Backlash against destruction of memorial garden for car park

Plans to replace a memorial garden in Rathfarnham with car-parking spaces have been reworked following a major public backlash.

As part of South Dublin County Council’s plans to redevelop the old stables at Rathfarnham Castle into a café, planning permission was sought to create a new car park on the Sean Keating Garden, which included the “re-grading and re-levelling of the existing sunken pond and garden area to provide 54 car-parking spaces”.

The decision to pave over the memorial garden, opened in 2013 to celebrate renowned Irish painter and artist Sean Keating, was met with “unanimous opposition” from local groups.

Labour TD for Dublin South-West Ciarán Ahern said that while the redevelopment of Rathfarnham Castle and stable was welcome, it was “extremely regrettable on that basis that what could and should be a really positive initiative is tarnished by the proposed destruction of the Seán Keating Garden.”

“South Dublin County Council should heed the calls from local residents and the wider Rathfarnham community and scrap its plans to pour concrete over the beautiful Seán Keating Garden,” he said in a statement during the Part 8 public consultation.

Following this consultation, which garnered 179 submissions, the proposed plan for the garden will be “modified to provide for a more uniform public open-space design”.

According to Jason Frehill, SDCC’s director of economic development, major concerns were raised over plans for the Sean Keating Garden “on two fronts, firstly on the memorial side of things but also on in terms of a public amenity and what that does for the local community”.

The proposed park element, replacing the current sunken pond and garden, will now be enlarged, “thereby reducing the northern and southern directional footprint” of the proposed car park, Mr Frehill told councillors at the full council meeting on Monday, July 14.

This will “increase the usable footprint and functionality of the open space providing for an enhanced level of public amenity”, with the 54 proposed car-parking spaces “reconfigured accordingly”.

Cllr Yvonne Collins (FF) thanked the council for their willingness to engage with the elected members and resident groups from Rathfarnham on the concerns surrounding the Sean Keating Garden proposals.

“This is a very different plan to the plan we started off with, it’s hugely improved and so much work has gone into it, it will maximise the benefit and the enjoyment of the proposed development for years to come,” she said.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme