About Us
Ireland’s only Model Village in Clonakilty is a joyful discovery for young and old alike.
The Model Village is a fully scaled handmade model of the historic West Cork Railway Line with fully working miniature trains and the towns that the railway served during the 1940s. Handcrafted model buildings and figurines tell the story of how people lived and worked in days gone by. See open air market days, castles, couples getting married, school children playing in the school yard, all lovingly created in miniature by hand.
Follow the model trains through West Cork, steer the remote control boats, try the mini diggers and play in the colourful outdoor play area. The Village Cafe serves a selection of teas, coffee and snacks.
Our History
Members of the West Cork Heritage Group proposed the idea of a Model Village in 1985. The leading lights were Mr. William Houlihan (Architect), Mr. Dan O’Donovan and the late Mr. James Blewitt.
The main of the project was to provide a significant educational and visual interest to both the local and tourist alike and to bring a much-needed employment scheme to Clonakilty.
A dedicated talented group of workers set to work to make the Model Village what it is today. Development was carried out in stages, the first town completed was Clonakilty and the Model Village was officially opened in 1994 by the then President Mary Robinson.
Since then the towns of Bandon, Kinsale and Dunmanway have been added. The Road Train began giving tours of Clonakilty in 2004 and then Remote Control Boats and mini diggers were added in the past few years.
From humble beginnings the Model Village has attracted thousands of visitors from all over the world. The business will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024.
