His monastery and school of learning were close by at Gill Abbey Rock. This association is also reflected in the College motto “Where Finbarr Taught, Let Munster Learn” which is also the university motto. The Pavilion have been maintaining the campus for several years now.

Naturally, on a campus with such history and association with Cork, preserving the grounds is of utmost importance. To the greatest extent possible, preservation of the character of the planting including respect for the age and history of old trees takes priority. We will go to great lengths to preserve a tree and its place in the grounds rather than take the easy option of removing it. Mixed with this heritage is of course the nature of a university, full of vibrant student life and ongoing change as the campus develops. In essence, our brief is to maintain a fine balance between the old and the new.

The UCC grounds team are responsible for all maintenance of the planting and lawn areas, pest control, weed control, pruning and growth. This includes new planting schemes where necessary. They are assisted in this by the Pavilion Landscapes team. In the cases of major works on old trees, a specialist may be called in.

The campus is quite extensive and among the buildings and roads we have found that there can be different micro climates. UCC is a green campus and our aim is always to try and find environmentally friendly solutions to challenges. In one case we found that a specific courtyard was a micro climate very suitable for breeding white fly. Rather than use chemical treatments we used a natural organic pest control that works against slugs & snails and aphids. It works as a natural deterrent and also enhances plants as it is absorbed by the root systems and provides them with a disease proof shield.