Cllr Michael Creed welcomed Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney to Béal na Bláth to see the works which have taken place to date and those that are planned at the memorial in advance of the centenary commemoration.
The project will see the site of the Michael Collins ambush restored in the most sensitive and appropriate manner ahead of the centenary of his death in August. It is a partnership between Cork County Council and the Department of An Taoiseach, Department of Defence and Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
The works will make the area more visitor-friendly and include narrowing the road, resurfacing, additional parking spaces as well as information maps and guides. The project will also serve as a legacy for the centenary itself.
Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney said:
“Michael Collins was one of the most important figures in the foundation of our state. It is an honour to be here today to see work underway on The Michael Collins Centenary Project. I would like to pay tribute to all those who collaborated on this project in particular Cork County Council and the Michael Collins Béal na Bláth Commemoration Committee.”
The Michael Collins Centenary Project was designed and developed by key experts in archaeological historic landscapes and memorial historic landscapes. It involved historical analysis of the battlefield and ambush area as well as drawing from a historic landscape assessment.
