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Year of celebrations planned for Rosscarbery’s Causeway

January 5th, 2020 6:25 PM

By Emma Connolly

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A YEAR of celebrations is planned to mark the 200-year anniversary of Rosscarbery’s Causeway.

Work started on the road in 1814, but it wasn’t completed until 1820. A committee comprising representatives from the local Community Council, Historical Society, Tidy Towns, Carbery Rangers GAA and Business Association, has now been set up to organise a series of events throughout the year to mark the occasion.

Spearheading the drive is Fiona Calnan who said that several major events are already in the pipeline including an historic parade during the summer.

‘We believe that Michael Collins crossed the Causeway in his armoured vehicle on the day he was killed so we hope to get that from Collins Barracks for the event,’ she said.

Other events that take place in the area anyway, will include a nod to the occasion. Fiona explained: ‘For example our Surf, Turf, n’ Tar event will have commemorative medals marking the anniversary. There’ll also be an adult race across the Causeway which is a quarter of a mile long during the Family Festival. That was the distance of local world champion TJ O’Mahony.’

There’ll be a monthly Facebook photo competition where people are encouraged to submit photos, either current or historic, of the Causeway. Monthly winners will be included in a special 2021 calendar.

‘We’re also planning an awards ceremony to honour a local person and we’ll be calling on people to make submissions to that. The winner will be announced at a gala ceremony with fireworks at the end of the year which will wrap up our celebrations.’

Interestingly, when the foundations for the Causeway were being laid it’s believed that the remains of a pre-historic elk were discovered and the committee are considering an elk sculpture as a permanent fixture on the route.

A Facebook page has been set up and people can also email [email protected]

 

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