Tourism, Trains and Hotels – a voyage to West Cork at the turn of the 20th Century

Recently I re-discovered some images of a pamphlet I photographed a few years ago on the Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway. Though not a railway aficionado per se, the images inside were tantalising to the historian. Images of hotels, adverts for tourists, descriptions of various places, hotels – known and unknown. Today we are all too familiar with the notion of what constitutes tourism.

Did Ye Know that yes, tourism was on the top of the commercial agenda of West Cork back in 1902-3? Not just summertime tourism but winter and health tourism. Brochures and pamphlets were the main advertising platforms for these en-route destinations and hotels. Better yet was the interconnectedness afforded by the railway network in Ireland.

Jump aboard the history train and let’s explore some of the hotels along the route. General regulations and information for passengers and their tickets commenced with a statement about “time”. West Corkonians may often refer to “West Cork Time”, but the regulations stated: – “Cork Time is observed at all the Stations”.

Bandon – French’s Hotel in 1902, proprietor Martin Blanchfield provided excellent cuisine, with “special fishing and shooting rights”, “moderate charges” with various makes and models of carriages and jaunting cars available for the discerning tourist to view the “unrivalled” scenery in the vicinity.

Travel to Skibbereen – stay at the West Cork Hotel. Standing the test of time this historic building remains in the hospitality trade. In 1902, J. Murphy prided himself on his unique selling point that the hotel, located in proximity to the Railway Station could provide “cars” – to fetch visitors to the hotel. “Cars” most likely referred to carriages to convey guests as the newly invented motorcars were rare enough in west Cork in 1900. Clearly there was a corporate element to the tourist trade at the West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen as mentioned in their advert together with the provision of a family focused service. For those travelling with children or on business, it made sense to be close to the railway station. Proximity to the railway was a key marketing ploy at that time.

Roches Royal Hotel and The Eccles Hotel advertisements in the railway brochure conjure up the tourist experience at the time. Promoting a world of breath-taking beauty, cuisine and among other items, referring to Glengarriff as a “spa” and “health” retreat. Testimonials from a patron of Roches Royal Hotel – the esteemed Professor of Medicine at UCC (then Queen’s College Cork) cited the benefits to one’s health of a sojourn in Glengarriff. Dr. Mathias O’Keeffe spoke “highly of Glengarriff as a health resort, especially of Roche’s Royal Hotel and …as a peculiarly desirable winter residence for invalids suffering from bronchial or other pectorial affections.” The proprietors, the Roche’s were keen to advertise that their list of testimonials amounted “to 50 of the most eminent medical authorities from all parts of the United Kingdom, British Medical Association, who stopped at the Hotel in the Summer of 1879”. The full-page advert in the pamphlet extoled the scenery, waterfalls and caves. Its on-site amenities for guests included – billiards room, large drawing room, boating and carriage tours. Fishing, shooting and sailing parties could be arranged by the proprietor who had special arrangements with the local landowners. Roche’s Royal Hotel located in proximity to today’s golf-course, was built by William Roche in 1860s, in 1872 his son Edward took over the hotel. Edward (1847-1908) was an architect and is referenced in the Dictionary of Irish Architects. No longer in existence, online images show a majestic building, with some circular architectural features (Edward’s Architecture). Destroyed by fire in 1910 and partially rebuilt, it was still operating in the 1920s but has since vanished from the landscape. In its stead is the view – still as wondrous… if you play golf, the view from the course, over the sea towards Bantry is still that same vista that met the paying guest in 1902/3.

Not to be outdone in the advertising stakes– The Eccles Hotel with its historic façade was highlighting the virtues of the climate of Glengarriff at the turn of the 20 th century. Glengarriff was the “Maderia of Ireland” while “unrivalled as a Winter Health Resort”. Reaping the benefits of a recent refurbishment in the early 1900s, it was “unsurpassed in Comfort, Cuisine and Attendance”. Attendance – what does it mean? it appears on various adverts I have seen over the years, reflecting what in today’s terminology is “service”, the waiting service and personal attendance to the guest. The language used in these adverts recalls a bygone era – or does it? Tourism is still a vital economic component of Irish life; advertising is still advertising, sales and marketing and the Eccles Hotel still proudly looks over Glengarriff waterfront – a firm favourite of this historian.

Research Source –

Cork Bandon & South Coast Railway Brochure, (1^st Nov. 1902 – to 30^th April 1903 or until further notice)