Amazing Transformation as Cork Harbour's Remediated Haulbowline Island Celebrates First Birthday

17th January 2022

The Haulbowline Island remediation works is a real turning point in the story of the Island's remediation to an area of real civic worth to the community and also as a suitable home to the Naval service. See images prior to remediation below

One year on since completion, the Haulbowline Island Recreational Amenity in the heart of Cork Harbour is the largest project of its kind to date in Ireland.

The Haulbowline Remediation by Cork County Council has transformed the former East Tip site into a 22-acre People’s Park in the middle of the Harbour.

And, as we celebrate the first anniversary of the park, Afloat's 'before' aerial photos below show what an amazing transformation has been carried out by Cork County Council.

650,000 cubic metres of by-products from steel production were deposited here over a 40-year period Photos: Bob Bateman

Haulbowline, home to the headquarters of the Irish Naval Service, was also formerly the location of Ireland’s only steelworks from 1939 until its closure in 2001. 650,000 cubic metres of by-products from the steel production was deposited here over a 40-year period.

The extensive remediation of the site saw the delivery onto the island of over 15,000 HGV loads of material, 47,000 tonnes of rock armour material to protect the shoreline, 180,000 tonnes of subsoil and 37,000 tonnes of topsoil, transforming the site into the scenic landscaped recreational amenity it is today.

As Afloat previously reported, complete with 4kms of fully accessible pathways, a 1 km jogging circuit, playing pitches and seating areas that lend themselves to remarkable views of the harbour and wildlife observation, the island has hundreds of native tree mixes and plants to promote biodiversity.

Published in Cork Harbour

Tagged under

About The Author

Bob Bateman

Email The Author

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.