Talks resolve church controversy

Mallow Development Partnership (MDP) moved this week to reassure local people that all references to changes to St Mary’s churchyard have been removed from the draft town improvement plan which had been submitted to Cork County Council.
A spokesperson for MDP stated that it has now been fully accepted by church authorities that there was not, and never had been, any intention to interfere in any way with the grounds of St Mary’s Church. This statement was distributed at week-end Masses and will be confirmed again in this weekend’s Mass leaflet.
The only issue remaining referred to the church gates and pillars, and conscious of the views of the church authorities and the general public, the committee has decided to request the removal of any reference to these matters in the Urban Design Submission. Also, a suggestion concerning the height of the front wall at St James’s Church will be withdrawn.
Archdeacon Gerard Casey also made a statement in which he said he was happy to receive assur-ances that MDP had never submitted, or would never support, proposals for a café, leisure centre, or grave interference in the churchyard, and hoped to have further com-munication with MDP prior to the final draft town plan being sub-mitted.