Corner of Shournagh Grove across from Ilen Court
View from Ilen Court looking down to Clashduv Park
View towards Abbeyville Vets
View from Clashduv Road
Junction of Clashduv Road & Togher Road
It must be stated that all the builders and security guards that were encountered along the way were extremely accommodating and informative. One security guard on Deanrock Avenue informed us that he was a Togher man who had emigrated to England in the 1980s in search of work and stayed for 30 years. Originally from Greenwood Estate , he related the quality of the buildings , including excellent insulation , solar panels and underground heating including spacious kitchens. He mentioned that the original plan was to have the scheme finished by December 20th 2019 but that due to bad weather and other circumstances that this was perhaps not now feasible. Most of the inner roads had yet to be hard-cored and tarmacced.
Corner of Togher Road / Clashduv Road
Togher Road across from Deanwood Avenue
View onto Togher Road from Deanvale
Entrance off Togher Road across from McCarthy's House
The group next moved to the other side of the Estate next to Shournagh Lawn. Here it could be seen that most of the road had yet to be treated. It was at this point that a young security guard approached us and politely explained that further access was not possible. The group engaged with him and soon struck up a conversation which resulted in them being able to take some photographs. At this stage two workers joined in the conversation and it transpired that the young man was originally from Bulgaria. It would appear he had traveled all the way to Ireland for work and met a woman from Bulgaria. The pair are now soon to wed. The workers jokingly asked if the group had been invited to the wedding. The following photographs show the view from Togher Road in and around Shounagh Lawn and a nice view of the new Shournagh Grove. A short video taken from Togher Road gives a nice representation of the new houses , many of which are already occupied.
View past Shournagh Lawn onto new Estate
Right hand side of above view
Exiting from new Estate
Corner view towards Market Gardens
Corner view looking back towards Togher Road
Short video of Shournagh Grove , Togher Road
The team then moved off to another site , the newly completed complex near Palmbury ; the former site of the Lodge which originally lead up to Lehenaghmore House. The scheme was funded by Cluid and is believed to be affordable housing. Even though it is fully completed , it is unoccupied and fenced off.
View looking back towards Togher Cross
Left side view of site
Right side view of site
Old stone wall in Eagle Valley
Next stop was in Eagle Valley to inspect the remains of an old stone wall. Acting on information drawn from a 19th Century OSi map , this was one of several locations where the surveyors placed a benchmark. However the wall was crumbling and for the most part entirely missing. No benchmark could be discerned and the missing blocks were most likely long gone.
Close up view of old wall in Eagle Valley
Left side of Lehenagh Bridge
Right side of Lehenagh Bridge
Benchmark on Lehenagh Beg railway bridge
The group next made its way to Lehenagh railway bridge , one of the few remaining from the old Cork Bandon line. The OSi maps indicated that the benchmark was located on the right side wall of the bridge. The wall was partially covered in clinging ivy and this was torn away to uncover the hidden benchmark. At the time the idea was abandoned and it was only later after zooming in on photographs taken at the scene that the benchmark was discovered! The photos below show the benchmark in all its glory , one of only two still in existence in Togher.
Next port of call was the location of a bridge over the Glenmore River at the bottom of Matthews Hill and the junction of Forge Hill. Closer inspection revealed it to be a pre-cast concrete affair. Even though concrete was in use in Ireland from 1850 , this was used primarily for harbour piers and there is no other example of it in Togher from that time period ; it is felt that therefore there was an original stone arch bridge in situ perhaps up to the 1950s which fell into disrepair and was subsequently removed for safety purposes. The Glenmore River is important in that it is the natural boundary of Togher on its western side.
Concrete bridge as seen from Industrial Estate
Close up showing underside of concrete bridge
Glenmore River , Lehenagh Beg , Togher
Partially submerged pipes in Glasheen River
Opposite side of footbridge
Right side showing remains of old wall
Rarely seen view of left side arch of bridge
Final visit of the day was to the footbridge over the Glasheen River in search of another benchmark. Originally this stone arch bridge came complete with walls on either side. However following a tragedy in 1972 , the walls were removed and the entire section of river was enclosed in railings. It can be seen that an additional set of railings were erected on the bridge at a later date , as youths could easily scale the older railings by using the base of the wall to hoist themselves up and over. Sadly no benchmarks could be seen though the first layer of stone blocks are still in situ but were covered with leaves and other debris. The river was in full flow and the water pipes were partially submerged at the time. It is planned to return in the summer for a closer inspection.
