The 150th anniversary of a railway link between Cork and Cobh was celebrated at the weekend with a family fun day attended by Minister of State Alan Kelly.
There was a special fare of €1.50 for all tickets (including family tickets) from Cork to Cobh on Saturday, to celebrate the first train steaming into Cobh on March 10th, 1862. A bronze plaque was unveiled by the Minister, along with Iarnrod Eireann CEO Dick Fearn and Cobh mayor Cllr Jim Quinlan. A marquee on the quay beside the station contained a farmers' market, a display by Cobh and District Photography Club, children's entertainers and performances from local artists. The Cork-Cobh line operates 46 services a day and 566,000 journeys were taken in 2011, up from 551,000 in 2010. Mr Kelly said: "I am delighted that the line remains of vital importance today."