31 Mar 2026
News
To mark the 65th anniversary of the closing of the West Cork Railway, Bandon Tidy Towns launched a new Railway Heritage Trail. Ray Good, who worked on the railway in its final years was the guest of honour, along with Bandon TIdy Towns volunteers, Councillors from the Municipal District and council staff from the Bandon office.
Supported by Cork County Council's Community Fund, the 12km out and back trail largely follows the route of the old railway and consists of six interpretive panels which connect the Clare O'Leary Walk, Bandon Town Centre and Bernard's Bridge Walk.
The panels were researched and written by Bandon Tidy Towns volunteers. They provide a brief history of different aspects of the railway, from the five train stations which once existed in our town to the dedicated distillery and brewery lines. Combined, the panels feature 24 carefully selected historic photographs of the railway kindly provided by the Irish Railway Record Society and other archives, and animate some of our town's historic buildings and features. Each panel is written to stand alone, meaning people who can't manage the full route in one go can still enjoy each individually.
The project adds a layer of interest onto the significant TPREP and greenway investments our town has received over the past few years. The project was funded by Cork County Council's Community Fund and had assistance from local County Council staff for installation. It represents the extraordinary value for money that can be achieved through small investments in Tidy Towns groups and local communities.
The walking route also takes in some of our previous projects, including the four Bandon Cloak sculptures on the Glasslyn Road, the sculpture of a Bandon Tank Locomotive and Coach on the Bernard's Bridge Walk, the many flower beds which we have developed and maintained over the years, and nature based projects delivered by our partners in Bandon Environmental Action Group.
This is one of a series of walking routes we are developing to promote active travel, health and wellbeing, and tourism in the town. We also have a range of other projects on the way to further develop our town, from biodiversity enhancements, to picnic areas to public art works.
Bandon Tidy Town's delivery of these projects is dependent on continued volunteering and involvement from our whole community.
We welcome new volunteers to reach out and get involved. The Tidy Towns initiative has evolved far beyond litter picking and planting, and we have a constant pipeline of projects to suit all ages, abilities and interests. For further information please e-mail bandontidytowns@gmail.com or find us on Facebook or Instagram.