Passage West
Passage West
An Pasáiste Thiar | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Cork Street, Passage West | |
  Passage West Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 51°52′17″N 8°20′07″W / 51.8713°N 8.3352°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Cork |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.5 km2 (2.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 5,843 |
| • Density | 1,053.6/km2 (2,729/sq mi) |
| (includes neighbouring Monkstown) | |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (IST) |
| Eircode routing key | T12 |
| Telephone area code | +353(0)21 |
| Irish Grid Reference | W767687 |
Passage West (locally known as "Passage"; Irish: An Pasáiste Thiar) is a port town in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the west bank of Cork Harbour, some 10 km south-east of Cork city. Passage West was designated a conservation area in the 2003 Cork County Development Plan.
History
[edit]In 1752, in the Market House, John Wesley – the founder of Methodism – addressed the people of Passage whom he described afterwards, as "as dull a congregation as I have seen".[2] From 1763, two fairs were held there yearly, one on the first of May, and the other on 25 July. The fairs were held in the vicinity of Fair Hill, from, which the latter received its name. According to Shaw Mason's "Survey of the South of Ireland", Irish was the language spoken in 1809 by the inhabitants of the town's cottages and similarly humble dwellings.[3]
The largest of Passage's industries were the two dockyards. Hennessy's yard was situated in what is now Fr O'Flynn Park. In 1815 this yard was involved in launching the City of Cork, the first steamship built in Ireland.[4] The other and bigger dockyard was the Royal Victoria Dockyard, which was laid down in 1832 and cost £150,000 to build and equip. It received its name from Queen Victoria on her first visit to Cork in 1849. The yard changed ownership several times, and during World War I was employing over 1,000 people. By 1925, most of the workers were paid off owing to a slump in the shipbuilding trade, and it completely closed down in 1931.[5]
In 1836, a quay was built where the vessels could berth and land their passengers and freight.[6] The opening of a railway line to Cobh (then known as Queenstown) caused the demise of the Passage ferry;[7] however, in 1993 a car ferry service was opened between nearby Glenbrook and Carrigaloe on Great Island.[8]
In 1838, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic to America was under the command of Richard Roberts. The paddle shaft of The Sirius can be seen today and forms part of a memorial to Roberts and his achievement. It is near the site of the now-demolished baths on the road to Monkstown just beyond the Cross River Ferry.[9] There were several hydropathic establishments in the town. The Victoria Baths were opened about 1838.[10]
In John Windele's Historical and descriptive notices of the City of Cork, published in 1839, Passage is described as consisting of two old irregular streets extending in a kind of forked direction.[11]
The opening of Passage railway station on the Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway in June 1850 increased visitors to the town, which was for some time the railway terminus. The railway was extended to Monkstown in August 1902 and two years later to Crosshaven. From that time Passage was no longer popular as a tourist resort, Crosshaven taking its place. Passage railway station opened on 8 June 1850 and finally closed with the rest of the line on 12 September 1932.[12]
Passage West was affected by the events of the Irish Civil War, and saw a large-scale landing of National Army troops on 2 August 1922. These 1,500 men, equipped with artillery and armour as part of a wider offensive, went on to capture Cork city from the badly armed Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army troops who were holding it. Many of the local homes took in the soldiers and fed them. It is said that Captain Jeremiah Collins, who was well known in Cork circles for aiding the cause, not only welcomed them into his home, but to mark the victorious landing, he raised the flag in front of his house "Carrigmahon" which overlooked the water.[13]
Following the closure of the shipyard, the newly formed urban district council invested heavily in local infrastructure.[14] Projects included Passage West Town Hall which built on the spot from which City of Cork was launched.[15][16] The Passage West Maritime Museum was established in Passage West Town Hall in 2018.[17]
Recent development
[edit]
In the 20 years between the 1991 and 2011 census, the population of the Passage West area grew by 60% (from 3,606 as of the 1991 census, to 5,790 by the 2011 census).[18] According to the 2016 census, approximately 50% of the private housing in the area was built in this period.[19]
In December 2007, the property development company Howard Holdings held a public display of plans for the redevelopment of the site. However the project was subsequently cancelled due to collapse of Ireland's property boom.[20]
Administration
[edit]In March 1920, Passage West, together with the neighbouring village of Monkstown, was constituted as a local authority with town commissioners under the Towns Improvement Act (Ireland) 1854 within the rural district of Cork. The first local elections were held on 14 July 1920.[21] It became an urban district in 1921.[22] Owing to abuses, a public inquiry was held in 1938 and the urban district council (UDC) dissolved. In 1942, it was deurbanised, and the UDC was replaced by town commissioners. This gave a greater role in the administration of the town to Cork County Council.[23] This became a town council in 2002.[24][25] The council had nine members. All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014 under the Local Government Reform Act 2014.[26] Cork County Council assumed direct control of the former town council's functions in May 2014.[27]
Sport
[edit]The town is home to Passage West GAA.[28] The local association football (soccer) club, Passage AFC, play at Rockenham Park on Cork Road, with other facilities at Maulbaun.[29]
Twinning
[edit]Passage West is twinned with the French town of Chasseneuil-du-Poitou.[30]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Population Density and Area Size 2016". Central Statistics Office (Ireland). Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
- ^ The Journal of the Reverend John Wesley. Vol. 3. John Hershaw. 1827. p. 356.
- ^ Mason, William Shaw (1819). A Statistical Account, Or Parochial Survey of Ireland. Vol. 3. Graisberry and Campbell. p. 257.
- ^ "City of York". Shipping and Shipbuilding. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Archaeological & Architectural Heritage Impact Assessment Cork Lower Harbour Drainage Scheme" (PDF). Aegis Archaeology. 26 July 2013. p. 63. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Walk in Passage West Ends At Derelict Quay". Carrigdhoun. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Archaeological & Architectural Heritage Impact Assessment Cork Lower Harbour Drainage Scheme" (PDF). Aegis Archaeology. 26 July 2013. p. 60. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Cross River Ferries". Irish Ferries Enthusiasts. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Full steam ahead – An Irishman's Diary on the SS 'Sirius', the first steamship to cross the Atlantic from Europe to North America". The Irish Times. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Monkstown Golf Club Centenary" (PDF). p. 16. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ Windele, John (1849). Historical and Descriptive Notices of the City of Cork and Its Vicinity; Gougaun-Barra, Glengariff, and Killarney. Bradford & Company. p. 177.
- ^ "Passage station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2007.
- ^ "Carrigmahon estate and the "last pirate"". Cork Weekly Examiner. 23 April 1981.
- ^ "Passage West and Monkstown". Passage West Town Council. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007.
- ^ "The Birthplace of Ireland's Steam Ship Industry". Passage West Maritime Museum. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Aerial view of Passage West and Lower Harbour Showing the Town Hall". The Echo. 1 September 1967. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Launch of Passage West Maritime Museum". The Cork.ie. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Passage West (Ireland) Agglomeration". City Population. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ "Sapmap Area - Settlements - Passage West". Census 2016. Central Statistics Office. April 2016. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ "Collapse threatens Irish companies of Howard Holdings". The Irish Times. 5 May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
- ^ "Passage West Town Commisioners (Now Passage West Town Council)". Irish Archives Resource.
- ^ Local Government and Public Health Provisional Order Confirmation Act 1928 (No. 3P of 1928). Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government and Public Health Provisional Orders Confirmation Act 1944 (No. 1P of 1944). Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government Act 2001, s. 11: Establishment, titles and administrative areas of local authorities and consequential provisions (No. 37 of 2001, s. 11). Enacted on 21 July 2001. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government Act 2001, 6th Sch.: Local Government Areas (Towns) (No. 37 of 2001, 6th Sch.). Enacted on 21 July 2001. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 3 August 2022.
- ^ Local Government Reform Act 2014, s. 24: Dissolution of town councils and transfer date (No. 1 of 2014, s. 24). Enacted on 27 January 2014. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 May 2022.
- ^ "114 candidates do battle for place in new 55-seat chamber". The Irish Examiner. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Plunkett's claim title with some style and class - Report on 2007 Cork Junior B Football Final". Archived from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- ^ "Find Us". Passage AFC. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
- ^ "Des liens d'amitié forts entre la commune et l'Irlande". La Nouvelle Republique. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
External links
[edit]
- Passagewestmonkstown.ie (archived)
