The three 4-6-0 Class 800 locomotives; 800 Maeḋḃ, 801 Maċa and 802 Táilte, were designed by the Great Southern Railway’s Chief Mechanical Engineer Edgar Bredin and his chief draughtsman, H.C Beaumont and represented a quantum leap forward in Irish locomotive design, being the first three-cylinder express locomotives built in the country. By the mid-1930s, the top link Dublin – Cork services had reached a critical loading point, where the existing fleet of 4-6-0 locomotives were stretched to their capabilities and beyond, particularly on the steep climb out of Cork. A larger, faster class of locomotive was needed. The three "Celtic Queens" gained iconic status among Irish enthusiasts and were the largest 4-6-0 locomotives to operate in the British Isles.