It’s a lovely functional piece of local history.

Now a group of Cobh locals have launched ambitious plans to repair the historic American Pier at Whitepoint, the last physical publicly accessible reminder of the US Navy’s presence in Cork Harbour.

The American Pier was used by the United States forces in 1918 to land servicemen for treatment in the US Navy Base Hospital No 4 located in Whitepoint. Since then, it has been used by generations of Cobh families for swimming, the sheltered beach area being the only such amenity near the town.

Image courtesy of Graham Geasley.

The people behind the American Pier Cobh Project, launched on Friday, say that the pier, which over the last 50 years has deteriorated into very poor condition, requires immediate attention.

A report by Southgate Associates, Heritage Conservation Specialists outlines three possible repair options, the most sympathetic of which will cost an estimated €110,000.

To fund the project, the committee has set up a GoFundMe page and associated social media platforms.

“It has held out against the powerful current for over a hundred years, yet it is approaching its utter ruin unless it can be saved.” they explain.

“Our group is determined that we can save it, for our community and for our young generation so they can grow up as many of us did, remembering its history, enjoying summer days on it, and as a focal point for the many visitors who join us here each year in Cobh.”

Donations can now be made via a dedicated page on GoFundMe. You can find out more about the project on Facebook.