'The Sunset Ridge was the centre of our social lives': New dawn for Cork site as demolition starts

The arrival of Loftus demolition crews marks the end of a long and sorry saga for the once bustling venue which has lain vacant, boarded up and derelict for over a decade.

But it also marks the beginning of a new chapter for the site, which is poised for redevelopment with a mixed-use retail and residential development.

The demolition phase is expected to take just over a week. It is understood the developers are anxious to press ahead with construction as soon as possible.

The landmark former bar and motel was a very popular spot for many on the city’s northside, which was run by the Cronin family across the 1970s and 1980s.

It ceased trading several years ago and was boarded up and had become a magnet for anti-social behaviour in recent years.

When it was in the jurisdiction of Cork County Council, planning was granted in 2011 for a mixed-use development, with retail and office units, a pub and a restaurant.

But the project never went ahead, the planning permission expired in 2016 and the building fell into dereliction.

The site ownership has changed hands several times over the years, and following the extension of the city boundary in 2019, the site was inspected by city officials and formally declared derelict. It was placed on the derelict sites register in October 2021.

It was also gutted in successive and suspicious bonfire night fires, in June 2021 and again in June 2022. 

Last March, the council granted planning to developers Oshawott Limited for the demolition of the former motel, and the construction of 43 residential units, with a mix of one, two and three bedrooms, ranging in height from two to two-and-a-half storeys, and a two-storey commercial building with a pharmacy and medical consulting rooms.

The plans also provide for the construction of a new access point, along with traffic calming measures, a new footpath and cycle lane to the L2785 and a reduced curve at the junction of the L2785 with the Killeens flyover to make the area safer.

A local woman who was out walking her dog on Monday morning stopped to watch the demolition work and recalled having her wedding reception in the function room.

“And that wasn’t today or yesterday, I can tell you,” she quipped.

She declined to give her name but said the venue was a fantastic place which was run in its heyday by “a fantastic family”.

“We had our residents’ association meetings there, our births, deaths and marriages,” she said.

“But it was such a sad situation what happened. It’s been derelict and dangerous building for the last 10 or 12 years.” 

She said local residents were furious the dereliction was allowed to endure for so long, especially on a site on the tourist bus route to Blarney, one of the most scenic areas in Cork.

And she urged the authorities to provide amenities, especially for children, to cater for all the housing development which is ongoing in the area.

Local Fine Gael councillor Damian Boylan, who celebrated his 21st birthday in Sunset Ridge, said everyone in the area had a connection to the venue.

"The Sunset Ridge was the centre of our social lives, in lots of ways,” he said.

"The Cronin family gave so much to this area, and to see the venue today is sad but the dereliction had to be removed."

He also thanked auctioneer Robert Harkin, who helped secure a buyer for the site who was willing to take on the regeneration.

Local independent councillor Ken O’Flynn also welcomed the demolition work but lessons need to be learned.

“This has been a long-awaited development and a positive step forward for the community,” he said.

“The motel's derelict state has been a menace and a source of concern for the neighbourhood. I urge the city council to learn from this experience and adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards dereliction throughout the city."