Cllr. Kieran McCarthy will lead a historical walking tour of the Old Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway line on Tuesday 5 July 2011. The walk starts at 7pm. at the entrance to the line on The Marina side adjacent the Main Drainage station. The Cork Blackrock and Passage Railway, which opened in 1850, was among the first of the suburban Cork railway projects. The walk will discuss the evolution of the line and also some of the historical sites which overlook it.

Cllr. McCarthy will also lead a historical tour of Ballinlough on Wednesday 6 July 2011, starting at 7pm at Ballinlough Pitch and Putt car park, opp. Pairc Ui Rinn, Cork, duration: 1 ½ hours, finishing around Ballinlough Church. With 360 acres, Ballinlough is the second largest of the seven townlands forming the Mahon Peninsula. The area has a deep history dating back to Bronze Age Ireland. In fact it is probably the only urban area in the country to still have a standing stone still standing in it for over 5,000 years. The walk will highlight this heritage along with tales of landlords, big houses, rural life in nineteenth century Ballinlough and the evolution of its twentieth century suburban history. Cllr. McCarthy noted: “South east Cork City is full of historical gems; the walks are not only talks about the history of suburban sites but are also forums for people to talk about their own memories and knowledge of local history in the ward. All events are free and are open to all.