Actor Jeremy Irons Fights Development
by Sarah Spendiff, Irish News
December 8, 2001
ACTOR Jeremy Irons - who is often cast as a villain - has become a hero among residents of a Co Cork town by heading up an antidevelopment campaign.
Mr Irons, who upset residents in his adopted home of Castletownbere, Co Cork by painting his historic castle a shade of pink, has found redemption among them by joining the campaign.
The Hollywood star who has made scenic west Cork his home is famous for playing the rogue husband of Glenn Close in an Oscar-winning performance as Claus Von Bulow in the hit film Reversal of Fortune.
Locals castigated the actor earlier in the year when he painted his 17th century castle pink, although he defended his stance, saying that it would mellow in time and was in keeping with its history.
However, all appears to be forgiven for Mr Irons as he has added his weight to their campaign against a development planned for 73 holiday homes near the village.
Locals claim it will destroy the character of their picturesque village and create a ghost estate during the winter months.
Eamon Delany of the village planning committee said: "This is a desecration of a historical village that has stood here for five centuries and is one we believe to be the prettiest in Ireland.
"This development would ruin it and cause greater congestion to the harbour area which is already completely clogged up at certain times of the year."
However, the construction company, John Fleming Construction, denied this, saying it was using the best possible planners in the country and the buildings would not be used solely as holiday homes.
A spokesperson for the firm said: "The designers will give us a plan in keeping with the spectacular beauty and character of west Cork."
In a strongly worded letter to Cork county council Mr Irons said: "Ill conceived planning based solely on maximising profit could become a blight for which future generations would forever blame us."
There was no-one available for comment at the council yesterday.
It is known, however, that Mr Irons has locked horns with the council over another matter to do with his castle.
The council opposed the actor's plans for using it as a retreat for urban children on the grounds of safety.
He is said to have wished it to be a place where city children could do things such as fishing and sailing, which were unavailable to them in towns.
Mr Irons and his wife Sinead Cusack do not live there but in a holiday home on the banks of Roaringwater Bay.