St. Finian’s presents a great opportunity
St Finian’s hospital is a listed building and rightly so, as its likes will never again be constructed. It is a Woodward & Deane designed structure built in the period 1845 to 1850.
In essence, Killarney is unique in having such a fine building and large tract of land attached that is State owned.
The town is also lucky to have the Pretty Polly site which is sadly lying idle for the almost thirty years and also Aras Phadraig which is lying idle for almost ten years.
Why is this so ?
The future use of the St. Finians building is of great importance to the future of Killarney and its surrounds.
In the first instance, the people, who built it during the Famine, lived therein as patients and who worked there from every surrounding parish must surely be remembered.
We must then ask why is an elderly care facility planned for the site when there are three such facilities within a stones throw of St Finian’s. ? Do we really need a fourth to add to The District Hospital, St. Columbanuse’s and the Mowlem Care Facility ?
It is hard to understand why we are again marginalising a section of our society. Have we not learned form the mistakes of the past ?
It begs the question thus: are the two State owned elderly care facilities being properly utilised are the sites on which they stand being properly utilised and most importantly are they fit for purpose ?
Thereafter, we must look to a new use, that will maintain and advance the economic prospects for Killarney and its hinterland and indeed the Kerry region thereby enhancing its attractiveness for investment that will provide substantial benefit for present and future generations. It must contribute to change from traditional employment sectors that are fast becoming side lined and unattractive to our youth.
A use must be sought to assist in stopping the brain drain from the area.
To do this we must look to the new industries of today that will establish a base to create future employment in sectors that are developing. We cannot hope to attract or keep the brightest and best educated unless we make opportunities available to them.
They will not work in the traditional and lower paid sectors.
We have to create an environment to allow them to build entities that will be instrumental in the establishment of knowledge based industry as that is where the future lies.
While there is dire need that a feasibility study to be commissioned immediately such a study must take cognisance of enticing such industries to this area which can be easily accomplished as the brightest and best will easily see the attraction of the beauty and natural amenities we enjoy. They will thrive in such an environment where endless opportunities exist for physical pursuits.
They will only recognise this attraction if there is something to keep and bring them here and at the moment sadly this does not exist.
The powers that be will have to be brave and think outside of tradition to get the best of what is available today for Killarney and its surrounds tomorrow. They will have to open their minds to new development which will assist the sustaining of Killarney’s rural hinterland.
They will have to show courage or else what we will get is more of the same and areas around Killarney will continue to decline. Future generations will not look kindly at a failure to embrace change and seek opportunity.
Suggestions of social housing or sectionalising elements of our community fail to pay heed to the mistakes of the past that sadly created immense suffering for some of the weakest in our community.
Ironically in the eyes of many, St. Finian’s in its past use may have contributed to such suffering
The future of this asset is far too important to be subject to vote gathering and political stunts.
I am suggesting that St Finian’s be made available for a high end educational facility under the auspices of a highly regarded third level national or international institution concentrating on tourism and technology.
If such a facility was here it would create an opportunity for graduates to set up high end technology based entities and establish new industry to grow and provide employment for future generations.
The area is crying out for this but alas the silence from Government agencies and strategic development authorities together with those that are elected to public office is but a dis - service to those that they claim to represent.
Importantly what is suggested would attract companies to this area that would benefit from access to a pool of such talent, thereby addressing the constant rural decline that we have and are experiencing locally.
What is suggested is the opposite of the brain drain policy that we have been pursuing for decades.
Undoubtedly this will take time but if we do not start we cannot expect to provide sustainable high-end employment or address rural decline by using the same thinking that has ill served economic development in County Kerry.
If we could do this then surely it would best acknowledge all those who were in any way associated with St Finian’s throughout the decades.