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Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Lough Mahon (Cork and River Lee)
Small
Paddle Steamers provided connections between the remote communities
along Lough Mahon from the major city of Cork. Private owners were
involved at the outset and throughout the paddle steamer era alongside
the corporate operators. A steamboat service was first inaugurated in 1815 from Cork to Queenstown (Cobh) via Passage and
Monkstown and the City of Cork was the first Irish-built steamship.
Above
: Albert was, along with Rostellan, one of the last two remaining Cork,
Blackrock & Passage Railway paddle steamers to be auctioned off as
the service was run down and abandoned in 1927. The ship found no buyer
other than for scrap. She was 140.5 ft long and built by
McIlwaine & Lewis at Belfast in 1881
Image in public domain,
photographer unknown, but published by Passage West Maritime Museum
City of Cork (1815-1859)
Waterloo (1816-1865
Lee (1830-1840)
Air (1836-1840)
Eagle (1838-1851)
Maid of Erin (1839-1843) For Thomas Sommerville & Co. Sold for use at Waterford
River Steamers Co.
Sold to the recently-formed competitors, the Citizens Rivers Steamers Company in 1861
Royal Alice (1847-1848)
Maid of Erin (1848-1861) Built in 1839 ex- Waterford service, ex- Lough Mahon
Prince of Wales (1858-1861)
Prince Arthur (1858-1861)
Citizens River Steamers Company (1861-1890)
Sold to the Cork, Blackrock & Passage Railway in 1890
Prince of Wales (1861)
Prince Arthur (1861-1878)
Citizen (1861-1890)
Lee (1861-1890)
Erin (1861-1862)
Lily (1861-1871)
City of Cork (1866-1890)
Erin (1872-1890) Built in 1866 as Rosneath. ex- Greenock & Helensburgh Steamboat Co (Graham Brymner)
Cork, Blackrock & Passage Railway (1851-1927)
The
railway opened in stages from Cork to Passage West (1850), Monkstown
(1902), Carrigaline (1903) and Crosshaven (1904). Remarkably on the
first extension the new section was built to a narrow guage and the
original section converted from Irish broad gauge accordingly. The line
became part of the Great Southern Railway in 1924 and steamer
operations were abandoned in 1927 once their remaining vessels had been auctioned off. . The railway was closed in 1932.
The company purchased the Citizens River Steamers Company in 1890
Queenstown (1851-1855) Sold for local use
Victoria (1852-1885)
Fairy (1853-1863) Sold for local use
Albert (1854-1882)
Glenbrook (1877-1903)
Albert (1881-1927)
Monkstown (1882-1910) built by McIlwaine, Lewis & Co at Belfast : 145.3 ft : 108 GRT : Oscillating 30 and 30 in x 33 in
ex- Citizens River Steamers Co (taken over)
Erin (1890 - scrapped immediately)
Citizen (1890-1891)
Lee (1890-1893)
ex- Tyne General Ferry Co
Audrey (1913)
ex- Tay Steamboat Co (purchased vessel)
Empress (1918-1922) Built in 1893
HARBOUR TENDERS
Queenstown
(Cobh) was a regular stopping off point for transatlantic liners, but
passengers used local tenders to get to and from the liners
Clyde Shipping Co
Flying Fox (1885-1919)
Built in 1885 by JT Eltringham at SouthShields
122.5 ft : 174 GRT
Engine : 41 x 60 in by JP Rennoldson of South Shields
Built as Flying Fox for the Clyde Shipping Company and assigned to Queenstown (Cobh)
Sailed for the Moville Steamship Company (Derry to Moville) from 1919 to 1927 and renamed Cragbue
In 1927 in service for the Anchor Line after purchase from the liquidators
Broken up in 1929 at Holywell
America (1890-1928)
Built by JP Rennoldson, South Shields. 131.8 ft : 244 GRT. Engine
1 cyl 41 x 60 in. Bought from Belgian breakers by Anchor Line and
used as a tender at Londonderry, N Ireland, until 1939 as Seamore
Ireland (1891-1928) Built by JP Rennoldson, South Shields. 131.8 ft : 244 GRT. Engine 1 cyl 41 x 60 in
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