St Kevin’s Hospital

Shanakiel, Cork

PAGE 5

Documenting our Heritage

Snookered

A forgotten snooker table lurks in the shadows.

One corner of the room was badly damaged by vandals in an arson attack last March -

the floor is completely burnt through to the next room below.

Dark and Dingy

A curious line of bricks and an area of sand and gravel.

What was the purpose?

Sunshine Cafe

It was dark and gloomy.

The Kitchen

Vandals have broken through the sky lights above us.

A floor polishing machine still sits in the centre of the room. Stoves, mixing bowls and kitchen apparatus line the room.

Old Mixers

It seems these machines would look more in place in a workshop.

The Bird Cage

Did this contain live birds? The room is painted at both ends. There is a make shift stage in one shadowy corner. A branch lies on the floor. Maybe some prop from a forgotten play?

The Tubs

What purpose did the tubs serve?

A rubber gloves lays discarded on the chair.

The Way Out

We find out way back and gratefully exit the building.

St Kevin's

After the revelation by Mary Harney that this structure is costing around Euro 6,000 a week for 'security' it seems likely

St Kevin's will be sold for redevelopment. There's no doubt that this is an impressive building with fine views out over the river Lee and Cork city. Maybe once the developers move in, much of the sinister atmosphere surrounding the building will be cleared as windows get opened up and the interior cleared and wiped clean. Maybe an apartment block would prove more successful than the St Anne's conversion next door which still lies mostly empty and in a semi-converted state.

The photographers decided instantly. 'no way would I live there'