BY KIERAN O'MAHONY
LOCALS in Ballineen and Enniskeane have launched a fundraising campaign to restore the old railway station house and transform it into a vibrant multi-purpose community hub.
The Ballineen & Enniskeane Development Association (Beda) Station House Restoration Campaign was launched last Friday night at the Beda Community Hall, attracting a large attendance. Margaret O’Donovan, vice chair of Beda told The Southern Star that they aim to restore and preserve the building’s heritage and make it a central community base once again.
‘We have set up a iDonate page with the aim of raising €200,000. The project is being split into two phases. Firstly, we want to clean out the building, repair a hole in the roof, and secure the building. Then we hope to restore and refurbish the inside and restore different rooms for community groups,’ said Margaret.
‘When the West Cork Railway closed in 1961 the building was used as a community hub before it fell into disrepair. The closure of the railways marked the end of an era and now we want to revive this station house.’
A sub-committee formed plans to seek grant aid to assist them in the restoration campaign as well as undertaking their own fundraising. Rail enthusiast Chris Larkin gave a brief talk about the railway at the launch, while local student Noah O’Shea presented his research on the local railways.
Last week, The Southern Star reported that the old Baltimore railway station is to be sold off by Fáilte Ireland to a private developer, much to the frustration of locals, who had hoped to create a maritime heritage centre there.
A donation page has been set up on www.idonate.ie - search for 'Beda'.
