Help to Protect Cork

Our Love the Lee symbol is displayed by people in support of better solutions for the protection of the city from flooding and to promote solutions that support opportunity for the city.

See Instagram #savecorkcity

The OPW scheme for quayside defences would leave Cork without an attractive or meaningful city centre and would damage the local economy irreversibly. The OPW scheme would interfere with groundwater in the city with serious consequences for building foundations. Flood water rises from the ground and cannot be contained with walls.

A tidal barrier is the safest and most economical option for Cork. A tidal barrier can protect thousands of more people, costing less and save the city from rising seas.

Please join our supporters who wish to protect the city of Cork and create new social and economic opportunities for our future.

Would Cork ever recover economically and socially from the loss of so much of our heritage and identity?

Thank you to the thousands of supporters who stand to say there is a better way for Cork to become a vibrant and liveable City without the damage of flood walls and embankments in our beautiful city.

‘A city’s conserved historic core can differentiate that city from competing locations, branding it nationally and internationally, thus helping the city to attract investment and talented people.’
‘Heritage anchors people to their roots, builds self-esteem and restores dignity.’

from The Economics of Uniqueness - by the World Bank

“The Save Cork City Solution document ‘Potential Cork’ provides a detailed framework for a viable and sustainable solution to flood relief in Cork. It represents a truly considerate opportunity for the city."

Dutch (National) Flood Protection Programme
(Programmadirectie Hoogwaterbescherming)

Erik Kraaij - Flood Protection Deputy Director

“installing cut-off walls and a groundwater dewatering system at Cork is an experiment in separating two interdependent surface water and groundwater systems, which is likely to fail"
Ground and Groundwater Conditions at Cork
Implications for the Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme

Anthony Beese BSc PhD PGeo CompIEI

With a view to giving rivers more space, they should consider where possible the maintenance and/or restoration of floodplains, as well as measures to prevent and reduce damage to human health, the environment, cultural heritage and economic activity.

The EU Floods Directive 2007

Best Practice in Flood Relief

An assessment of the potential adverse consequences of future floods for human health, the environment, cultural heritage and economic activity.......including floodplains as natural retention areas, the effectiveness of existing man-made flood defence infrastructures (our Dams), the position of populated areas (our City), areas of economic activity (our City) and long-term developments including impacts of climate change on the occurrence of floods.

The EU Floods Directive 2007

Best Practice in Flood Relief

The OPW Walls scheme "could potentially damage the ability of the city to realise its obvious riverside potential and negatively impact on the attractiveness of the city as a location for inward investment and tourisn."

Cork Chamber of Commerce, Irish Examiner, 2014

"The beauty of the Quays is one of Cork's assets which should be jealously guarded"

Cork Town Planning Association & Cork Chamber of Commerce, 1925