Monkstown

Monkstown, Co.Cork, located on the west side of Cork harbour, was an important station on the narrow gauge Cork Blackrock & Passage Railway line, which ran from Cork City south to Crosshaven. The section from Crosshaven through to Passage East was single track, but beyond Passage it was double track all the way to Cork City, the only double track 3ft narrow gauge line in Ireland. The Great Southern Railway took over the CB&PR in 1925, by which time the line was under competition from buses, resulting in the closure of the railway line in September 1932. Remarkably, the face of the island platform at Monkstown Station survives, along with the base of the former water tower. At the south end of the village the line passes beneath the main road in a short tunnel.
The single platform face of the closed 1932 station at Monkstown. This view is looking towards Cork City from the south end of the station. This section of the Cork & Passage Railway was originally opened in August 1902. The stone and brick built base of the old water tower remains at the old Monkstown Station. This is the only building to remain in situ at the station. The platform face and water tower base are seen together at the north end of Monkstown Station. The narrow gauge C&PR was closed by the Great Southern Railway in 1932. A view along the up side of the old Monkstown platform, looking south towards Passage. This was originally an island platform.
At the north end of Monkstown the railway line passed beneath the main road from Cork City by means of a tunnel seen here. A closer view of the tunnel which the former Cork & Pasage Railway line ran through, passing beneath the R610 road from Cork City. To the right is the wide River Lee. The last trains to travel along here were in September 1932. An old photograph showing the small level crossing located at the south end of Monkstown Station, which gave access to jetty alongside the River Lee. There was also a pedestrian footbridge sited here, from which this photo was taken.