Back in October last year, I posted to note the passing of Brian J Goggin, amongst other things, the creator of the excellent website www.irishwaterwayshistory.com.
Today, a new post appeared on same, posted by his family, noting that the site has been archived by the National Library of Ireland and can be accessed here.
Youtube directed me towards this short video on the Dublin City Libraries YouTube channel about the Iveagh Trust Buildings in Dublin.
Although dating from 2009, it is as relevant today as it was then.
The writing has been on the wall for some time for peat extraction in Ireland and Bord na Mona has now confirmed that peat harvesting has ceased. This also brings to an end the operation of the extensive narrow gauge railway network that BNM operated across the Midlands which included many level crossings and bridges.
The days of trains through Kylemore Lock in Galway are also over.
RTE Archives have an historical report from 1965 about the old bridge between Cork and Waterford east of Youghal.
The Times (paywall) reports that Jameson have received permission from Dublin City Council (conditional on Cork County Council consenting) to move an historic pot still from their distillery site in Dublin to that in Cork.
Whilst searching on Google for something else, I was given this link to Hansard (record of the Houses of Parliament in the UK) which is a question about the level crossing at Clones railway station, allegedly from 1950.
Clearly this is wrong as the UK Board of Trade would have had zero authority over a level crossing in the Republic of Ireland at that date.
Update – I have found a listing of the Presidents of the Board of Trade and based on the information therein and the reference in the link above to Mr. Ritchie holding that title, the date range for this query is 29 June 1895 to 7 November 1900, being the period that Mr. Ritchie held that position.
Found this railway property for sale on Daft.ie – €130k for a burnt out shell of a former stationmaster’s house on a railway line with no services. It is an offer I can happily refuse.
TalkRadio have a segment about a niche idea for a train powered by shit. (technically it is the methane from the shit but why miss the opportunity for a headline!).
I could see the usefulness of such small trains for lightly used services out of Limerick – the question would have to be does Limerick generate enough shit to keep a railway network running?