Chai Brady
The Archdiocese of Dublin is set to receive €95 million from the GAA for almost 20 acres of land in Drumcondra, Co. Dublin.
The site has potential to accommodate 1,200 apartments, while the conversion of buildings already on-site could provide more residential accommodation.
According to the Irish Times it is understood three parties have been invited for consultations regarding the ‘Drumcondra portfolio’. The developers named are Sean Mulryan’s Ballymore, US-headquartered property giant Hines, and Pat Crean’s Marlet Property Group.
It is believed the GAA is obliged to pay €23 million for the site of the Holy Cross seminary by autumn.
As of yet, it is unclear whether the Vatican has given the project the green light, which is needed for a Church land sale of this magnitude.
The GAA and the archdiocese indicated at the beginning of June that approval was not granted, however both sides appear confident that this will not be an issue.
Speaking at a conference regarding financial stewardship this summer Declan McSweeney, General Manager and Financial Administrator of the Archdiocese of Dublin, said their engagement with the GAA will bring significant urban renewal for the local community.
This echoed Archbishop Diarmuid Martin’s statement released by the archdiocese in October of last year which stated it is a priority for the diocese to ensure the buildings and lands would be used for the benefit of the local community and a legacy for the city of Dublin.
It said the proposed sale of Clonliffe buildings and lands will allow the diocese to reinvest in people-led pastoral programmes as the Church in Dublin looks to different forms of ministry in the coming years.
This would include investing in vocations and the ongoing formation of lay people and priests.
“It will be about men and women who have the ability to speak the language of faith authentically in a world where that language may be alien and to speak in a way that attracts,” said Archbishop Martin.
While Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, has not functioned as a seminary since the year 2000, the sale will generate funds which will assist in the training of priests for ministry in the archdiocese.