{"id":309781,"date":"2026-02-21T11:54:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T11:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/309781\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T11:54:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T11:54:07","slug":"rathgar-residents-devastated-after-case-against-schools-own-private-aviva-is-dismissed-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/309781\/","title":{"rendered":"Rathgar residents \u2018devastated\u2019 after case against school\u2019s \u2018own private Aviva\u2019 is dismissed \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cDevastated\u201d residents surrounding Kenilworth Square in Rathgar, south Dublin, have said they are considering appealing the High Court\u2019s dismissal of their case concerning a local private school\u2019s plans to develop the park.<\/p>\n

Those living near the Victorian square said they are \u201cshocked\u201d and \u201cextremely disappointed\u201d after a judgment earlier this week meant their effort to overturn a Dublin City Council planning decision failed.<\/p>\n

Local campaign group Protect Kenilworth Square, alongside resident and group member Martin Joyce, initiated judicial review proceedings seeking to overturn the council\u2019s decision that St Mary\u2019s College did not require planning permission for some aspects of the development.<\/p>\n

The proposed project would ultimately mean existing pitches reconfigured, one of which would be replaced with an artificial all-weather surface. This is alongside the erection of six flood lights and fencing, with residents previously likening it to the school\u2019s \u201cown private Aviva\u201d.<\/p>\n

Following the judgment, Joyce confirmed the group is now considering its \u201cnext steps\u201d, including possibly applying for leave to appeal, saying they will continue this struggle.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not the end of the road, and it\u2019s not a done deal. We will continue, because the residents know that once this starts, it\u2019s incremental and before you know it, you\u2019re going to have a full-blown stadium there in a few years,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n

A source familiar with the school\u2019s development denied that a \u201cstadium\u201d is part of any plans.<\/p>\n

A petition set up by Protect Kenilworth Square, which raises concerns over the planned development, has amassed almost 3,700 signatures.<\/p>\n

A rival group, Kenilworth for the Kids, set up by parents of those attending St Mary\u2019s, also organised a petition, which has garnered almost 3,100 signatures.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Kenilworth Square residents \u2018outraged\u2019 at planning exemptions granted to St Mary\u2019s CollegeOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Mary Daly, a spokeswoman for the group, said it was united by a \u201cshared concern\u201d at a shortage of accessible playing fields in Dublin, adding that the group has \u201csignificant\u201d support from the sporting community and local clubs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to highlight the positives of the proposed upgrades, especially in the context of opposition from a small but vocal minority, while also being clear that this is about balance,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Joyce denied that Protect Kenilworth Square is a \u201csmall\u201d group, saying it represents the \u201cvast majority\u201d of the residents living near the square and nearby streets.<\/p>\n

Should the development proceed, there will be a \u201csevere loss of heritage and biodiversity\u201d, he argued, while also raising concerns over potential flooding ramifications as a result of the \u201cplastic pitch\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe residents, we see ourselves as the custodians of the 86 protected structures. St Mary\u2019s College should be the custodians of the park, but their plans clearly indicate they don\u2019t see it that way,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Other residents like Emily Mahoney raised concerns over the felling of some mature trees, saying the project \u201cseems so short-sighted\u201d.<\/p>\n

Originally from Colorado in the United States, Mahoney bought a house on the square two years ago with her husband, Lon\u00e1n, originally from Dublin.<\/p>\n

\"AProposed development under a St Mary’s plan for Kenilworth Square. Image: projectkenilworth.ie <\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the reasons that we were so excited to live here was the beautiful trees in this square,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re quite sad about it, losing that view of nature.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a statement, Denis Murphy, principal of St Mary\u2019s College, welcomed the High Court decision. He said the school is now considering the best way forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur objective has always been to enhance sports provision within Kenilworth Square in a manner that supports pupils and the wider community while respecting the character of the grounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaying out an all-weather surface on one rugby pitch will achieve both ends. The weather in recent months continues to show the limitations of grass surfaces in winter weather,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cDevastated\u201d residents surrounding Kenilworth Square in Rathgar, south Dublin, have said they are considering appealing the High Court\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":309782,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[42,43,32860,40,38,41,39],"class_list":{"0":"post-309781","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-headlines","9":"tag-news","10":"tag-rathgar","11":"tag-top-news","12":"tag-top-stories","13":"tag-topnews","14":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/309782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}