The Twelve Arch Bridge in Ballydehob

In 2024 IRD Duhallow’s Youth and Education working Group organised a series of SICAP funded public speaking workshops for National School pupils. During these workshops local children spoke in relation places, people and topics that were of specific interest to them. In this issue we are delighted to present a speech which was delivered by Cara Fleming, a student in Boherbue National School.

The Twelve Arch Bridge in Ballydehob

Did you know that one hundred years ago nearly all of Ireland was accessible by railway?! My name is Cara and today I’ll be sharing an element of local history from West Cork which I have a personal connection to called the Twelve Arch Bridge in Ballydehob. It was a major construction job and took just over a year to complete. Today it serves as a public walkway, The Twelve Arch railway viaduct was built in 1886 by my great great great great grandfather Patrick Cotter and many of the Cotter family. Some of you may have heard of the famous telegrapher Marconi who crossed the viaduct a number of times in the early nineteen hundreds to try and send the very first radio message across the Atlantic. The Twelve Arch Bridge was built as part of the Skibbereen and Schull railway.

Almost everyday I’m in West Cork I go walking here with my grandmother and her small dog. In fact my great Aunt now lives in the building where the railway station used to be, right next to this bridge.

This railway bridge is an amazing feat of engineering and is even more impressive close up. I am very proud to be associated with the Twelve Arch Bridge in Ballydehob. It’s very sad that the railway no longer travels across this bridge but we can still enjoy the magnificent spectacle that it is.

Keep your eyes open as you travel around as you might see remnants from Ireland’s old railways, You might not know it but they are all around Ireland.