Allihies Copper Mine Museum 2026
Co. Cork
Passage West Maritime Museum 2026
The collection covers maritime history, shipbuilding and ship repair, emigration, the US naval presence in Cork Harbour and of course the stories of the generations of seamen associated with the town. While the focus of the museum is centered upon the story of Passage West and its relationship to the sea, it is also the birthplace of Ireland's steam ship industry.
Contacts
Address: Main Street Passage West Co. Cork T12 X4AX IRELAND
- Telephone: 00 353 87 136 3588
- Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
- Website: View website
Open Days & Times
Wed-Fri 1400-1730. Sat-Sun 1400-1700. Visit website or facebook for more details.
Facilities
- Parking
- Part disabled access
The town of Passage boasts an impressive industrial heritage dating back over 300 years. Known as ‘the original port of Cork’ it was the birthplace of the first steamship built in Ireland, The City of Cork, which was constructed in 1815 on the site of where the museum now stands. It was also the port from which the SS Sirius, the first ship to cross the Atlantic entirely under steam, left in 1838 under the command of local man Captain Richard Roberts.
Passage West and its shipbuilding industry is probably best known through its association with the Royal Victoria Dockyard, and in 1833, the new dry dock received its first ship, the 386-ton Dominica. By the end of 1836, about 20 schooners had been launched at the yard. Ship repair was a major part of the work carried out and by 1850, a total of 183 vessels had been repaired there.
