Historical Context

FIGURE 7 6 inch Historical Map of Passage West 1837-1842

© Ordnance Survey Ireland/Government of Ireland Copyright Permit No. MP 003820

Passage West

Passage West has a chequered history of economic activity. The town had the advantage of a deep safe anchorage for large ships in the late 18th and early 19th Century. At this time, larger ships could not proceed to Cork and cargo was discharged at Passage and taken to Cork by cart or “lighters” which were smaller cargo boats that ran with the current and were steered with oars. In 1836, the town benefited from a new quay for berthing and at this time granaries were built for storing grain, however soon after the channel to Cork was dredged and Passage West suffered the loss.

A ferry ran for generations between Passage and Carrigaloe serving Cove (Cobh) used by over 10,000 people a week in August 1836. The opening of the railway to Cobh in 1893 (then Queenstown) ended the ferry service. Passage West thrived due to the bathing resort which was popular at Glenbrook in the 19th Century. As the terminus for the Passage West and Blackrock Railway of 1850 the town also benefited until the line was extended to Crosshaven in 1902 which then became a resort for Cork City.

Passage West dockyards supported the town for many generations. The Passage West Dockyard of 1832 was officially opened by Queen Victoria in 1849 and named “the Royal Victoria Dockyard”. Hennessy’s Dockyard area operated since the late 18th Century to the North from what is now Fr Flynn’s Park. Employment at the Victoria docks declined after 1931 when it was re-purposed for ship building. Passage West was often the benefactor and the loser in the construction of large industries and transport infrastructure in the 18th,19th and early 20th Century.

While Monkstown was a Victorian town from the later 19th century, Passage West has a fine collection of Georgian buildings from the late 18th and early 19th Century which suffer from the towns through road status. The town centre has recently been designated a conservation area in recognition of the important built 18th and 19th century landscape. CYMS Hall

The Catholic Young Mens society was founded in 1849 by Fr Richard Baptist O’Brien to support young men and foster “by mutual union and co-operation, and by priestly guidance, the spiritual, intellectual, social and physical welfare of its’ members”.

In June 1914 the old Passage West Market Place was purchased for £75 15s and 6d as the site for a new hall to provide for the young men of the area supported by the Catholic Young Men’s Society and the local community. The foundation stone for the new building was laid on 8th December 1915 By Rev. T. Canon Barrett, the local Parish priest. The architect was J. F. McMullen, Esq. and the hall was built by J. O’Callaghan and Son and officially opened on 29th November 1916.

The hall was created to support young men and provide amusement for them in an environment of safety and care. The building became a centre for the community who provided funds to build it through many local events. It supported cinema events and other pursuits such as billiards, cards and amateur dramatics later providing snooker tables and meeting space for the local youth of the town when unemployment was high in the second half of the 20th Century. The hall is now closed has continued to be used by the Passage West Karate Club by kind permission of the then Parish Priest, Fr Galvin.