Month: October 2022

IH News 2022

Waterways and Means

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 23rd October 2022

In my last post, I referenced Brian J Goggin and his website www.irishwaterwayshistory.com.

Brian was working on a book at the time of his passing and his family completed this book – Waterways and Means – which was launched in Dublin in June this year (I was honoured to be invited to the launch).

Brian’s family have posted a review of the book on www.irishwaterwayshistory.com today, suggesting the book as a suitable Christmas present – a recommendation I can support, having bought the book at its launch.

Site Updates

The Ulster Canal

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 22nd October 2022

Regular readers of this site know that I am opposed to the “restoration” of the Ulster Canal on both heritage and economic grounds.

I am back to being a lone voice in the wilderness on this one, since the passing of Brian J Goggin of irishwaterwayshistory.com 2 years ago.

In memory of Brian, whose contribution to the recording of the history of Ireland’s canals and navigable waterways far exceeded anything I have achieved, I have created a map of the Ulster Canal.

There are two larger scale maps linked off this – one covering from Charlemont to Lock 10 and the other from Lock 11 to Wattlebridge.

At the moment, these latter two are flat pages. However, I intend to add links off these to photo galleries for each feature, showing the canal as it remains today.

Greenways IH News 2022

Limerick Greenway

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 22nd October 2022

RTE have an article on their site about the Limerick Greenway (formerly the Great Southern Trail).

Greenways IH News 2022

Tralee Fenit Greenway

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 19th October 2022

TraleeToday.ie reports that the Tralee – Fenit Greenway (along the former railway between the two towns) opened last weekend.

I’m sure Irish Rail are delighted to have offloaded another liability and the awkward questions around how a railway that was not abandoned could have a supermarket carpark built on it.

Locations Site Updates

Fairyhouse Halt

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 16th October 2022

Located on the Clonsilla to Navan line between Dunboyne and Drumree stations, the halt at Fairyhouse was used for race day traffic for the racecourse of the same name.

When checking online aerial photos of the area today (both Googlemaps and Geohive.ie), I figured that I had the location wrong, in that I had assumed that the M3 motorway occupied the site of the line here. This is wrong – for a short section of line north of Fairyhouse, the M3 does occupy the former trackbed, but not at Fairyhouse.

The road overbridge at the halt was removed during motorway construction – however, the trackbed remains adjacent to the M3, including the halt site, which is now occupied by a garden attached to a private residence.

I have updated the Gazetteer page for Fairyhouse Halt and will add the photo of the site (a garden) in the near future.

General

Not possible

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 8th October 2022

People wonder why I don’t like Irish Rail. Things like this are the reason.

I should be getting the 13:32 ex Kilcock to Maynooth to transfer to the 13:45 ex Maynooth to Confey, to undertake volunteer litter picking on the Royal Canal.

However, as is not uncommon for Irish Rail, the first train (from Sligo) is late and there is no guarantee of a connection at Maynooth. The second issue relates to the single track west of Maynooth. The real time departures section of the Irish Rail website is currently reporting an impossibility:

The first section is showing an arrival at Kilcock of a train to Sligo at 13:42. However, the second section is showing an arrival of the train I should be on at 13:45. Due to the single track section between Maynooth and Enfield, this is a physical impossibility and the IR website is publishing a lie.

Events

Dublin Bricks & Brickmakers (online event)

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 5th October 2022

As part of the Dublin Festival of History, the above titled talk, given by Susan Roundtree, is being hosted (online) by Dublin City Council (in conjunction with the IHAI) on 12th October 2022 between 18:30 and 19:30.

The event is free but registration is required.

IH News 2022

Dublin Port Sea Wall

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 5th October 2022

RTE reports on the discovery of a section of the original sea wall constructed as part of the early development of a port at Dublin, which is believed to date back to the 1720s.

This is located under a former electricity substation at the port, which is undergoing conservation works currently.

History IH News 2022

Bog ore blacksmith

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 4th October 2022

They say you learn something new every day.

I was aware that historically in Ireland, copper was retrieved from bogs by burning it. I was unaware that iron ore can be similarly retrieved but the Irish Independent have an article about a blacksmith who uses Irish bog ore iron in his work.