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!
Category Archives: S.E. Ward Local History
History Tours on Cork Blackrock and Passage Railway
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.
Local History Railway Walking Tours with Kieran McCarthy
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.
A Bit of Ballinlough History!
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!).
Unlocking Secrets at Old Electricity Power House
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.
Heritage Walk along the Old Line
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.
McCarthy’s Heritage Week Activities
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
Down the Line
Recent crowd at Kieran’s Tuesday walking tours of old Cork Blackrock Railway Line
Local History Walks along the Old Railway Line
McCarthy’s History Walks along Old Railway Line:
Interested in finding out more on the Old Cork-Blackrock and Pasage Railway Line? Cllr. Kieran McCarthy, historian will lead two tours of the old line over the next two Tuesday evenings, 21 & 28 July, starting at 7p.m. on the Marina side. The event is free and is open to all. Cllr. McCarthy noted: “South east Cork City is full of historical gems; it’s important that as a community we mind and appreciate what has great amenity value; the Marina, Atlantic Pond, the old line have a rich heritage; the city is lucky to have such amenity resources”. More information on Cllr. McCarthy’s ward and summer community programme can be got online at www.kieranmccarthy.ie and his city history programme can be seen at www.corkheritage.ie.
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article, ‘Journeys of Faith’ Book, 5 September 2013
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 5 September 2013
Journeys of Faith, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Ballinlough, Celebrating 75 Years
In the past eight months I have been fortunate to interview many people in Ballinlough, my own homeplace, to produce a book to mark the 75th anniversary of the dedication of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Located on a prominent limestone ridge, the church is a familiar, impressive and welcoming landmark in Ballinlough, a south east suburb of Cork City. The building represents one of the multiple threads of community life of the area. Indeed, it can be said that many of the original ideas for the present community infrastructure in Ballinlough, ranging from actual buildings to various sporting and social clubs had their roots amongst the people and priests who created, and in time, added to the meaning of building in the lives of the community.
At the dedication ceremony on Sunday 11 September 1938, the orator of the sermon, Fr Kieran, OFM, Cap spoke at length about the building belonging to the people and the people belonging to the church; “we are gathered and united in one living holy faith this morning in this beautiful little church, planned by Christ-like minds and built by human hands and generous hearts”. Those ideas of hope, self determination, generosity, faith, dedication, and adoration are all starting points to begin a reflection on the past 75 years.
In Our Lady of Lourdes Church, there is a faith in the sacredness of this edifice that has never been relinquished since 1938. It is a thriving and resilient place, a place of aspiration. Here is a faith founded on familiar cultural and personal Christian principles to which those in the present day are heirs; we also carry forward some of that faith and all the ideas that go with it; we continue to build and trust in our faith. The text on the 1935 foundation stone at the side of the building reminds one of this spirit of co-operation in faith and that together the clerical and lay community have brought forward the multiple meanings and memories within the building as a socially inclusive community.
The church is a celebration of re-invention and re-imagination of the faith and initiative in Free State Ireland. A sense of initiative remains constant in the character of the Ballinlough community today. The Bishop of Cork in 1938, Dr Daniel Cohalan, had an interest in harnessing new possibilities, ideas, and new skills, to reach higher and to combine them with ideas of faith. There is a power in faith, in journeying with it. It is our lasting birthright but, it is also about what we do with it. Faith does not have a financial value but, without it, people’s moral compass, personal development and journey in life would certainly be anchored in a different direction.
As its core aims, this book excavates below Ballinlough’s official histories. Its key milestones are presented but the book aims to provide insights and foster debate into the woven relationships between the church, community life, and society. What is presented is a cross-section of Ballinlough residents and those connected to the parish throughout the years. Using the themes of the spirit of co-operation and community building put forward during Fr Kieran’s sermon at the 1938 dedication ceremony, the book aspires to recover and provide a cross-section of voices and personal memories of the most memorable aspects of Ballinlough. It also tries to create a framework of the development of motivations and visions for community life. The book is divided into four parts – firstly it presents the historical framework for the construction of Ballinlough church and the nature of Cork society in the 1920s and 1930s. Secondly memories covering Ballinlough’s market garden heritage and the emergence of the area’s development in the 1930s and 1940s; secondly the book focuses on the construction of the community infrastructure in the period c.1950-c.1980; fourthly the book explores more recent memories and concludes with the perspectives of a cross-section of individuals in the Ballinlough Parish Assembly.
Over 100 people speak at length in this book about their faith, their personal connection to Ballinlough, and its sense of place and how they link to it. They speak about the layered aspects of life such as change, love, hope, uncertainty, fragility, tragedy, integrity, traditions, renewal and imagination and their role in the formation of human values. Interviewees commented on the role of the church in the past and seek to be involved in its future. All merge together to reflect on the mark made on history by Our Lady of Lourdes Church and the wider community, but also their role in the future of Ballinlough and in the wider city and region.
I will be giving a reflection on the 75th anniversary on Friday 13 September at 7.30pm in the church during the celebration mass and mission. The book launch is after this event on the same evening at 8.30pm in St Anthony’s Boys National School. All welcome. The book can be purchased for E.15 from Ballinlough parish office and sacristy from 13 September onwards.
Caption:
707a. Front cover of Journeys of Faith, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Ballinlough, Celebrating 75 Years by Kieran McCarthy; cover designed by Alexandria O’Donnell, Our Lady of Lourdes School, Ballinlough.