Ovens pupils rediscover the story of the Cork to Macroom railway

BY KIERAN O’MAHONY

THE fourth class pupils of Ovens National School are learning all about the Cork to Macroom Railway, which closed in 1953.

Thanks to their teacher Joe Murphy the pupils have entered this year’s Discover Cork Schools Heritage Project, and have put together a fascinating project about the railway which opened nearly 150 years ago.

‘This railway passed through our parish at Killumney and Kilcrea and, as part of the project, the class made a large model of the railway station,’ Joe Murphy explained. 

‘They also researched the history of the railway and some of the children even made their own miniature models of aspects of it,’ he told The Southern Star.

‘We interviewed some residents and historians too and we also compiled a large A3 portfolio which displays pictures, artwork, a history timeline and other interesting stories we found out about the railway.’

The co-ordinator of the Schools Heritage Project is historian and journalist Cllr Kieran McCarthy, and he took part in a workshop with the pupils on how to complete the project.  

‘The aim of this project is to provide an excellent opportunity for young people to respect and defend the integrity of their local community and landscape,’ he said.

‘It also offers then an opportunity to research, discover and even recover some of Cork’s lesser-known past,’ added Cllr McCarthy.

Later this month the pupils will showcase their project to the other children in the school, ahead of the closing date for the submission of their project. 

The Schools Heritage Project award winners will be announced in March.