By Gordon Deegan

Plans to demolish John Magnier co-owned derelict farm buildings at Parkville near Clonmel in Co. Tipperary are facing local opposition.

In March of this year, Magnier’s Coolmore is reported to have paid €2.425 million, or almost €38,000/ac for a 64ac farm at Parkville - the lands had a guide price of €1.28 million.

In September, the Coolmore-linked Melclon UC lodged the plans for the demolition of existing derelict buildings at Parkville together with all associated site development works and over 20 objections have been lodged with Tipperary County Council against the demolition plan.

The property is jointly owned by John Magnier and his daughter, Katherine Wachman and the objections follow a farm-gate demonstration against the proposal on October 3 at the site.

In a submission lodged with Tipperary County Council on behalf of applicants, the council has been told that “overall, the buildings are considered to be in poor condition and are dangerous”. 

In the submission, it is stated that Melclon “wishes to demolish the buildings and incorporate the area into the adjoining pasture”. 

The submission further stated that “overgrown vegetation throughout appears to have interfered with the structural integrity of all the buildings”.

However, in one objection, it is stated that the buildings earmarked for destruction "are part of our history and are irreplaceable”. 

The objector said that the Parkville farm building complex “is very old, probably dating from late 1700s and has an historically important courtyard layout which includes finely detailed arched entrances with cut stone surrounds”.

The objection also stated: "We have lost far too many similar structures both in Tipperary and nationally. There is no excuse for making the same mistake again.”

The deadline for lodging objections was yesterday, October 22.

In a separate objection, it was stated that it is “unfathomable that these iconic farm buildings at Parkville could be knocked” and that they “represent an iconic landmark”. 

The objector stated as an example of excellent stonework, they are a good example of a vernacular farmyard complex and  "part of our built heritage".

In another submission, it is claimed that there is a risk of a domino effect that once the complex of farm buildings and associated structures are removed, that this may lead to the destruction of the existing hedgerow systems and "obliteration" of the landscape features that are a key element of the integrity of the locality.

In yet another objection, it is claimed that the planned demolition works "would represent the erasure of valuable and irreplaceable Irish heritage”.