Local Glencullen and Sandyford representatives are calling on the Minister for Culture Catherine Martin TD to protect and restore Constance Markievicz’s old Summer cottage in Ticknock, South Co. Dublin.
Local Labour councillor, Lettie McCarthy, and Sinn Fein representative Shaun Tracey have both raised the issue recently.
McCarthy, who is bringing forward the motion to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council next week, told Dublin Gazette: “We have discussed this in the past at council meetings but it never progressed.
“I am calling on DLR to explore all possibilities. We will be starting the Blackglen Road Upgrade Scheme next year and I believe this would be the perfect time to look at marking this site.
“The cottage ruins is in private ownership and the first step must be a conversation with the landowner.”
Tracey, who contested last year’s local elections, said he has written to Minister Martin asking for the protection of the cottage. Some leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising stayed in the cottage, and trained there also.
He said: “Markievicz’s cottage is of huge national historic significance.
“It was here that Countess Markievicz trained Na Fianna Éireann and many of the leaders of the 1916 Rising visited and met at this cottage.
“It is a crying shame that it has been allowed to fall into a state of ruin.
“I have written to Minister Martin, having already written to previous Minister Josepha Madigan, and also to Councillor Sean McLoughlin of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Memorials Committee, to ask them to begin to explore options to save the remains of this cottage.
“My colleague Seán Crowe TD has already put a parliamentary question to Minister Madigan on this issue and I welcome her commitment to contact the council.”
Minister Martin did not reply to request for comment by the time of publication.
