Cllr Kieran McCarthy will give a walking tour this Friday 28 September at 6.30pm. leaving from the Pier Head carpark. It focuses in on the Story of the Cork Blackrock Passage Railway Line. The event is in aid of the Irish Heart Foundation, and costs E.15 to register  (turn up on the evening). A ballad session will follow afterwards in the Pier Head pub.

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. For example, Fifty years ago this weekend, the foundation stone of the present St Michael’s RC church was laid. The walk us 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.