‘We don’t want to lose our green spaces when we don’t have much as it is’
18:23, 19 Jan 2026Updated 18:27, 19 Jan 2026
Protestors on the Northside this morning(Image: )
Cork city residents are rallying against Council plans to knock down trees along two streets for a new cycleway and local amenities.
Locals were out with “Save the Trees” picket signs on Knockfree Avenue this morning and afternoon to raise awareness of a major project planned for the area. Works on the scheme – which will span both Knockfree and Knockpogue Avenues – are expected to start soon, and will replace and upgrade three roundabouts, bring new pedestrian crossings, add 1.4 km of cycle lanes, resurface the road and more.
Residents in the area say they aren’t against progress and would normally welcome many of the new additions. Their problem however is that the project involves the removal of a long strip of green spaces, including a number of trees, which line Knockfree and Knockapogue Avenues. Locals and Councillors in the area previously made submissions to Cork City Council over the plan’s impact on the local greenery. It was later revised to limit the loss of green spaces, and increase the number of trees replanted after the works.
Knockfree Avenue(Image: )
Speaking to Cork Beo, local Michelle Hegarty said residents are protesting to try and reduce the loss of green spaces as much as possible. She said: “It all started in 2022/2023 when we sent in objections to it, because it’s our only little bit of greenery here. In the past few years, being honest, we forgot about it. Then this week, we got these letters in the post about the project.
“When I put in an objection about it, they told us they would be replanting trees, but they won’t be our trees. Ours are at least 60 years old. We have two big chestnut trees, and there are so many kids here who go to pick chestnuts on them every year. There are starlings, robins, sparrows, lots of little birds that nest there that won’t be able to do it any more. We want some of the amenities, we understand the safe crossings and we need changes to the roundabouts – but we don’t want to lose our green spaces when we don’t have much as it is.”
Another local, Deirdre O’Connell, also raised concerns that the project would greatly limit parking in an area already struggling for car spaces. She said: “A big worry is the knock-on effect on parking. There are three schools in the area and the church. Parking is chaotic at the best of times, on busy days you have people driving around and around, doing two or three loops trying to find a space.”
She also flagged that the new active travel way won’t be useful if people don’t cycle in the area anyway: “I was out protesting from 9am-2.30pm today and four bicycles passed me. That’s the most you would see on any day.”
Protestors this morning(Image: )
Local Fianna Fáil Councillor John Sheehan told Cork Beo that works on the project are expected to start soon. He said that he “absolutely” understood the concerns of locals, but believed the project would benefit the area overall.
He said: “A few councillors submitted about the plans and the loss of trees in the area. There were some changes made to the plans, a commitment to replant more trees. The views expressed by the residents are the same as our submission. These weren’t easy plans to get over the line by any means, and these issues were highlighted extensively through the planning process. Nobody wants to see any of these trees go. We will continue to work with residents, but the reality is it’s very likely these plans will go ahead.”
Cllr Sheehan said that he will continue to campaign for more parking facilities in the area. Knockfree Avenue and Knockpogue Avenue residents will resume their protest tomorrow morning.
Sign up here for our daily newsletter and get breaking news and top stories from Cork Beo direct to your inbox