Tensions are high.

The Ballintemple Area Residents’ Association has penned an open letter to the CEO of Cork City Council Ann Doherty, raising concerns over the effect of recent GAA games played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on July 18th.

In the letter, the group claims that the GAA reneged on promises to keep the residents of the area informed about events at the stadium, citing “no email or leaflet drop” and arguing that “members of the community who do not keep up with GAA events would not be aware of how many people were expected to attend and were not able to make plans accordingly.”

Other complaints raised in the letter focus on traffic attending the match, as well as vehicles being parked inappropriately.

“The traffic attending the match was extremely unregulated. Cars parked in the cycle lanes, on grass verges, on public footpaths, and on double yellow lines. This is an area in which the Marina Park is being developed — it would appear that if this beautiful park had not been fenced off on this day it would have been significantly damaged by illegal parking here,” the letter says.

“There are many people enjoying the Marina Park area — walkers, joggers, cyclists of all ages, and young children.

Their safety is being endangered on days such as Sunday, July 18 due to a lack of Páirc Uí Chaoimh traffic management which is required under their planning conditions.”

The letter says that vehicles park inappropriately include team buses. The following photos were provided by the group.

The letter also raised concerns over litter in the area, reading: “Furthermore, the area does not seem to have been included on any extra sanitation rotation for the evening after the matches were held — or indeed the following days.

“Footpaths, hedges, walls, private gardens, and public areas were littered with plastic beer glasses, plastic bottles, glass bottles, and other match-goer litter.”

The group, who say they have written to the council without response regarding Cork GAA’s application for planning permission to redevelop parts of Marina Park into a private all-weather pitch and parking spaces, say they “feel very let down by the lack of consideration.”