Railway Heritage Trail Launch

To mark the 65th Anniversary of the closing of Bandon's Railway, Bandon Tidy Towns launched a new Railway Heritage Trail. 

The 6km (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.