Passage West Dockyard

"From the 1700's Passage West grew in importance as increasing numbers of large ships anchored here for loading and unloading, since the shallow channel prevented them sailing to Cork city. Most ships transferred cargo to smaller vessels, called lighters, to be brought up to Cork. Passage West also began its long association with shipbuilding and ship repair and developed into a cosmopolitan and lively seaport. Passage West dockyard was originally Brown's shipyard which began to expand from the 1830's through leasing and reclaiming land. It was the largest of two dockyards which were the main industries in Passage West. The other was Hennesy's yard which was located in what is now Fr. O'Flynn Park. The major development of Brown's shipyard in the 1830's saw the building of a new quay, dry dock (a second was added a few years later), granaries and workshops. It was renamed Royal Victoria Dockyard having been formally opened by Queen Victoria in 1849. (It had another famous connection when Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, visited the dockyard in 1912.) Over the next three decades Brown's business continued to grow and they further extended and developed their dockyard. In 1852 over 250 ships completely or partially discharged at Passage West while in1871 nearly 400 vessels transferred grain into lighters there. Considerable ship repair work was also being done with 180 vessels repaired in Passage West between 1840 and 1850. In 1853 there were 300 working in Royal Victoria Dockyard and twenty years later that number had increased to 700. In 1871 the dockyard changed hands and was further extensively developed. In early 1873 the dockyard's staff of artisans and labourers was the largest in Munster. By 1882 dredging had opened the channel to 14 feet and this combined with investment in the city quays meant that most ships could travel directly to Cork. The era of Passage West as a centre for transshipment had come to an end. From that time the dockyard changed hands on a number of occasions until it finally went into liquidation and was auctioned in 1931. It left poverty and destitution in its wake. It was bought by a new company, Haulbowline Industries Ltd (HIL). The Harbour Board supported the HIL ship breaking venture by reducing tonnage dues on metal from scrapped ships. The company still specialises in the trade of scrap iron and today, some loading and unloading of cargo, mostly timber products, is also carried out at the dockyard. In the past the dockyard has been the lifeblood of Passage West. As it takes up such a large stretch of river front in the town centre, however, it has significantly hindered the development of the town as a commercial centre and recreation area. If you found this review helpful please click on the 'Like' symbol below."