Irish musician raises the flag for self-help

After thirty years of neglect and vandalism the Irish flag flies proudly once again over Crosshaven's 'Fort Camden'.

At the beginning of the Summer well known Irish musician Skully, now based in Crosshaven, got together with locals Vincent Farr, Noel Condon and Paul Brierley to set up the 'Rescue Camden Group'.
They all shared the belief that Camden Fort, which at that time was derelict, overgrown, and fenced off from the public, could become not only a valuable local amenity but also a much needed focal point for tourism both in the lower harbour and for Cork in general.

Camden Fort is a sprawling complex of military buildings, gun emplacements, tunnels, and underground chambers. Positioned on Rams Head near Crosshaven, and overlooking the entrance to Cork Harbour, the Fort is internationally recognised as one of the worlds finest remaining examples of a Classical Costal Artillery Fortification. It dates from the Napoleonic Wars, through its occupation by the British, and up to its eventual occupation by the Irish State forces in 1938. The fort was occupied up until the 70's when the last Irish forces abandoned it, locking the gates behind them. In the years since then time had not been kind to Fort Camden. The weather had eaten away at the vulnerable structures and vegetation had consumed and hidden much of the complex. Man had taken his toll too, with various structural elements such as floors and hand-rails being pillaged and underground caverns vandalised. It had even been proposed to use the fort as an asbestos dump at one stage.

Over the years various proposals were touted for the development of the Fort, none of which had ever materialised.
The 'Rescue Camden Group' decided that the only way that anything was ever going to happen was if they 'got stuck in' and started work on the Fort themselves.

The task ahead of them was enormous.
Undaunted, Skully and Vince set to work. Under the early summer sun and armed with only a collection of garden tools brought from home, they started to take the first steps on the long journey that lay ahead. Fighting back briars, lost rooms were revealed, and the sun shone where it had not done so for thirty years.
Progress was slow however and they soon realised that more volunteers would be needed. Luckily, word of activity at the Fort had started to spread and when Skully put out an appeal on the Fort Camden Facebook page, there was no shortage of people willing to lend a hand. People who had always felt that it was a shame that someone didn't do something with the Fort could now see that something was being done and they were happy to be a part of it.
The community was reclaiming their Fort.
Photographs of the progress and stories about the Fort from people who remembered it as a child, or who had served or lived there, started to appear on the Facebook page and everyone could now follow the story as it happened.

The Rescue Camden Group decided that the first stage of the renovation would be to restore and convert two rooms to accommodate a museum and gallery. These rooms would depict the Fort in its former glorious past and as it is today, overgrown and decaying. This proposal was made to Cork County Council where funding was sought. The County Manager, seeing the potential and the enthusiasm, rode behind the Rescue Camden Group. The challenges and costs involved in tackling this project were daunting, and our voluntary group had extremely limited resources. They were, however, fortunate to experience a great level of co-operation and goodwill from various individuals and groups. Some donated time and expertise. Some organised fundraising events. Others sponsored products.
(Dulux Paints sponsored all the paint for the project.
Calor Gas provided heating for the rooms with elegant Provence Gas Stoves.
Pat McDonnell Paints supplied brushes, rollers, trays and buckets.
Blue House Architects offered expertise and finance.
O'Callaghan TV and Munster Sound provided audio-visual equipment.
Lynch's Centra of Crosshaven and HM Yachts donated the proceeds from fund-raising events held in the community.

Skully, Vince and this enthusiastic band of volunteers worked tirelessly and in just six weeks, this daunting task was achieved. The Gates were once again, open'.
Fort Camden opened its doors to the public for the first time in September this year.
A symbolic raising of the Tri-colour by the next generation of Custodians - Nomah Sullivan aged 9 and Katelyn Farr aged 10.
Proof that with the right attitude and the will to get it done, communities can achieve things for themselves.

The next year will see further developments at Fort Camden with more and more sections opening to the public all the time.
Keep up to date at the 'Fort Camden' page on Facebook.

All of the work carried out by the Rescue Camden Group has been on a voluntary basis.

Vincent Farr works for Cork City Fire Department and is Officer in Charge of Irish Coast Guard unit in Crosshaven.
He spends all his spare time working on and planning for Fort Camden.
Skully composes music for TV and Movies in the US and is half of the duo Metisse, his music has recently been used by MGM, NBC,ABC, and The Jay Leno Show,
he just doesn't sleep, working in the Fort by day and writing and recording by night.

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