SKIBBEREEN and District Historical Society has organised a number of talks and other events to commemorate the town’s railway heritage.
Last year, the society was involved in the restoration of the railway mural at the ‘Cutting’ and unveiled the first in a series of information boards about the Skibbereen to Schull Tramway.
During Heritage Week earlier this month they unveiled two new boards in their railway information series.
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The project was made possible due to the support of Cork County Council and the Heritage Council under the County Heritage Plan Funding 2026 and to the generous sponsorship of two local businesses, the West Cork Hotel and Drinagh Co-operative Limited.
The first of the new boards, which is located at the Schull Road roundabout, is dedicated to the main railway line into Skibbereen, which was part of the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway.
The railway line to West Cork was commenced in 1845, but it was not until 1877 that it reached Skibbereen.
The Skibbereen line met the main railway line to Cork at Drimoleague Junction and had an intermediate station at Madore in Caheragh.
The length of the railway to Cork City from Skibbereen was 53 miles (85km) and it took two hours and ten minutes to complete that journey.
Despite local protests, the West Cork railway network was closed on Good Friday March 31st 1961.
The second board, located at Kennedy Bridge, Ilen Street, is dedicated to the Baltimore Railway Extension.
Opened in 1893, this extension was built to facilitate the then flourishing fishing industry in Baltimore.
The extension was eight miles (13km) in length. It required significant alterations to Skibbereen Railway Station and major engineer works to construct a bridge over the Ilen River and the railway cutting beyond Bridge Street.
The journey time from Skibbereen to Baltimore was 20 minutes.
The extension line had stations at Creagh and Baltimore and was extended to Baltimore Harbour in 1917.
To coincide with the unveiling of this board the historical society also launched a new page on its website highlighting what remains of the Baltimore Extension, called Traces of the Baltimore Railway Extension.
The formal unveiling of the Baltimore Board was performed by Michael O’Sullivan an ex-railway employee and ex-resident of a railway cottage at Bunlick, on the Baltimore line.
Michael’s recollections of his days working on the railway and his fellow railway workers provided a wonderful account of those time.
Cllr Deirdre Kelly attended the event on behalf of Cork County Council. Also in attendance was John O’Neill, chairman of Skibbereen and Historical Society; Timmy and Barry Looney of the West Cork Hotel, who sponsored the Baltimore Extension board; and Michael O’Brien, represented Drinagh Co-operative Limited who sponsored the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway board.
The work on the information board project was headed by the society’s PRO Niall O’Mahony, who is also behind the research that went into the new website page.
The information boards were designed by local graphic designer Sophie Pentek.
The display cases for the information boards were erected by Cork County Council.
Skibbereen and District Historical Society is grateful to everyone who helped with this project and anyone interested in getting involved can contact the society at [email protected].
