Check out the census for Ballinlough in 1901! A centre for market gardeners and hard work!
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cork/Blackrock/Ballinlough/
Also Monday, 23 August, 7pm; “Knights, Quarries and Suburban Growth: A historical walking tour through Ballinlough and environs”, start point: Ballinlough Pitch and Putt car park, opp. Pairc Ui Rinn, Cork, duration: 1 ½ hours
Ballinlough, c.1885
Ballinlough 2010
Participants on last night’s historical walking tour down the old Cork Blackrock and Passage Railway Line, 6 July 2010; next walking tour within the ward is in late August for Heritage Week of Ballinlough and Ballintemple!
Did you know?
The age of the railways also came to the forefront of the visions of Cork planners in the 1830s. In 1836, two years after the construction of Ireland’s first railway between Dublin and Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire), a railway was proposed to connect the city to Passage via Blackrock. Passage itself was an important minor port in Cork’s lower harbour. In 1836, the lands of Lakelands and Ballinure were surveyed and the engineer, Charles Vignoles planned the routeway of the railway itself. In 1837, the Passage Railway Bill was passed in the Westminster Parliament but work only got underway in the late 1840s. By this time, the Cork Passage Railway Company had been reformed into the Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway Company. Legislation was passed for this company in 1846 and in September of this year, the company’s engineer Sir John MacNeil carried out the relative survey work.
History tour of old rail line next Tuesday, 6 July, 7.30p.m. Marina Entrance to old Line.
Historical Tours down the Railway Line
Interested in finding out more on the Old Cork-Blackrock and Passage Railway Line? Cllr. Kieran McCarthy, historian, will lead two tours of the old line over the next two Tuesday evenings, 29 June & 6 July, starting at 7.30p.m. at the entrance on The Marina side adjacent the Main Drainage station. The event is free and is open to all. Cllr. McCarthy noted: “South east Cork City is full of historical gems; the walk not only talks about the history of the line but also the history that surrounds it. It is also a forum for people to talk about their own knowledge of local history in the ward. The walk also forms an important amenity walk through the south east ward.”
The Cork Blackrock and Passage Railway was among the first of the suburban railway projects which opened in 1850. The original terminus, designed by Sir John Benson was based on Victoria Road but due to poor press was moved in 1873 to Hibernian Road. The entire length of track between Cork and Passage was in place by April 1850 and within two months, the line was opened for passenger traffic. In May 1847, the low embankment, which was constructed to carry the railway over Monarea Marshes (Albert Road-Marina area), was finished. In Blackrock, large amounts of material were removed and cut at Dundanion to create part of the embankment there. Due to the fact that the construction was taking place during the Great Famine, there was no shortage of labour. A total of 450 men were taken on for the erection of the embankment at the Cork end of the line. Another eighty were employed in digging the cutting beyond Blackrock.
Did You Know?!
Walking through Ballinlough, people talk about their affinity for the place’s tranquillity and its green areas. They speak about how Ballinlough sits on a suburban ridge overlooking the river and harbour area and faces further afield to the architectural beauty of Cork’s Montenotte and St Lukes. Ballinlough also has the view of County Cork’s southern ridges and troughs. Perhaps it was the view and good land that led the area’s first recorded resident Patrick Meade to settle in the area. In records from 1641, Ballinlough was written as Ballynloghy and Patrick, a Catholic, had 144 acres of profitable land. The Meades were originally from the west coast of England. On arrival in Cork, they built themselves into the fabric of the key merchant families of the city along with families such as the Roches, Goulds, Coppingers, Sarsfields, Galways and Tirrys. The history books note that the Meade family had a castellated mansion near the present day Clover Hill House.
During the Cromwellian wars, Patrick Meade was dispossessed of his property. William Tucker had the caretaker’s lease on the property through Oliver Cromwell. Subsequently, the 144 acres were given to Alexander Pigott. The Pigotts came from Chetwynd in Shropshire and initially came to Ballyginnane beyond present day Togher. In time, they re-named this area Chetwynd. Colonel William Piggott was in Oliver Cromwell’s army and was rewarded further with land across Cork’s southern hinterland. Indeed in the early 1660s, the population of Ballinlough was recorded in a census as having 30 souls (to be continued, check out www.corkheritage.ie for more Cork history!).
For Cork Heritage Open day on Saturday 29 August, the National Sculpture Factory formed part of over 30 buildings, which opened their doors free of charge for this special event. Members of the public were allowed a glimpse of some of Cork’s most fascinating buildings ranging from the medieval to the military, the civic to the commercial and the educational to the ecclesiastical. This year the National Sculpture Factory teamed up with me to pen a series of information sheets and a heritage trail for the public on the Factory building’s history and its surroundings.
One hundred years ago, the building of the present National Sculpture Factory was the central hub for electric trams whose trackways created arteries through a bustling city of contrasts from slums to richly embellished Victorian terraces in the city’s middle class suburbs. The site was also the electricity distribution centre. The site also lays adjacent to the docks, Hibernian Buildings and Jewtown, the old terminus building of the Cork Blackrock & Passage Railway Line, the site of the Cork Park Racecourse and Fords and of course lies under the shadow of the iconic Elysian Tower.
Cllr. Kieran McCarthy noted: “The National Sculpture Factory building is worth a look; much of the story of Cork’s modern development is represented here. The history of the port, transport, technology, art, agriculture, sport and the suburbs can all be studied here. It’s great to be able to explore such great historical gems especially a building that has added so much to the present identity of the city”. More information of heritage open day can be viewed at events under www.corkheritage.ie.
It’s always great to get a crowd on a walking tour. So below are the pictures of the crowd on my walking tour of the Cork Blackrock & Passage Rail Line. Such a great piece of suburban history, especially as the over pass bridges and Blackrock platform are still intact and the line takes one through the history of suburbs such as Ballintemple, Blackrock and Mahon. The site is also set amidst great built and natural heritage – The Marina, The Atlantic Pond, the Docklands area, Fords, the Showgrounds, Pairc Ui Chaoimh. I do plan to put my notes online in the history section of this website and www.corkheritage.ie. Thanks to the crowd for their support. My next talk is next Saturday for Heritage Open Day at 1p.m in the National Sculpture Factory, the former tram terminus on Albert Road.
Press Release
Heritage Week takes place in the last week of August. Amongst the family orientated events in Cork City that week is a City Centre Heritage Hunt organised by Cllr Kieran McCarthy. It takes place on Saturday 22 August 2009, 2p.m. The meeting point for registration and instructions is outside Cork City Library, Grand Parade. The object of the hunt is to find historical dates across buildings and monuments in the city centre that will unlock a special prize for the winners. Cllr. McCarthy will also lead a tour of the Old Cork-Blackrock Railway Line on Tuesday 25 August at 7.30p.m. starting from the Marina entrance to the walkway. Commenting Cllr. McCarthy noted: “Heritage Week offers us Corkonians a chance to get involved in positive and fun events that are all about discovering who we are, our identity. It’s a also a chance to discover parts of our city and culture that we may not be daily involved in. The aim of the heritage hunt and tour is to educate and raise awareness and appreciation of the city centre’s development and its rich history through the fun of exploring”. For further information Cllr. Kieran McCarthy can be contacted at 0876553389 or check out heritage events under www.corkheritage.ie or www.kieranmccarthy.ie
Recent crowd at Kieran’s Tuesday walking tours of old Cork Blackrock Railway Line
