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It seems West Cork Distillers hasn't been completely honest about its ongoing need for additional storage space exclusively for its own product. Could the real driver behind the company's push for inappropriate industrial storage at Tullig be its new relationship with US whiskey giant Brindiamo?
From the video above, and news reports online, it looks like the Skibbereen-based distiller had already allocated storage at its Marsh Road facility for exclusive use by the American Bourbon giant, despite claims in its planning application that it didn't have enough storage space for its own maturation needs. Interestingly the Brindiamo warehouse was announced publicly before Cork County Council granted conditional planning to West Cork Distillers for additional warehousing in Tullig.
There was NO MENTION of this joint venture in the company's response to the County Council's Request for Further Information (submitted on 11 November 2022), despite the Planning Authority explicitly asking for details of their intentions for the bonded warehouses at their Marsh Road facility.
5. .... Please clarify your intentions for the existing
Cork County Council Planning Department Request for Further Information 24/02/2022
bonded warehouses at the Marsh Road facility ....
It begs the question is West Cork Distillers' primary motivation for its inappropriate industrial storage complex at Tullig is to satisfy its own expansion needs, or to satiate the demands of a huge American company as it muscles in on the burgeoning Irish Whiskey Market?
No doubt this relationship is great news for West Cork Distillers' projected profit margins, and it's no surprise to read in news reports that West Cork Distillers' CEO, John O'Connell, is "very excited to partner with Brindiamo on the new warehouse". However, the partnership raises huge concerns about the potential for unchecked future expansion both at the Tullig site and other locations in rural West Cork once this dangerous precedent for industrial warehousing complexes on un-zoned agricultural land in the region has been set.
It is in the interest of every rural community in West Cork, County Cork and Ireland to fight such inappropriate industrial development on low-cost agricultural land to satisfy little more than untrammelled commercial greed.
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Its simply big money talks imposing itself on small rural communities without any concern for the local biodiversity or natural habitat.
Obviously, the information given to the planning authority was misleading and a larger agenda is at play.
Wrong development in the wrong place! This should be only in designated industrial zoned land and not in agricultural farmlands and goes against the County Councils own development plans
My late mother's family, Hurley/ O'Donovan, farmed in Tullig for many years. It is am area of outstanding natural beauty, a sanctuary for fauna and flora alike.
It is an area steeped in folklore and the history of Éireann. Nearby Reenascreena, is the birthplace of one of the greatest Irishmen of all time; Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa. Reenascreena also had its own company of the famed 3rd West Cork Brigade, during the War of Independence.
The area in and around Tullig needs to be conserved and protected, not exploited to the line the pockets of economic fat cats!
Pob lwc gyda'r ymgyrch! Wishing you every success with your campaign!
Keith Collins Cymru