The Donegal News reports on a meeting held between representatives of a campaign group calling itself “Into the West” and Eamon Ryan TD, Minister for Transport, to advocate for a restoration of railway lines into Donegal.
Much as I support the encouragement of rail travel and the development of existing/new routes to do so, methinks that this group is on a hiding to nothing on this one. The only railways in Donegal for the forseeable future will be that at Fintown and Sir Gerry Robinson’s private line.
The Iveagh Markets in Dublin 8 have been an on/off story over the last few years, due to proposals to re-develop the site by a publican/property developer.
Due to the failure of same to actually carry out the proposals, Dublin City Council re-took possession of the Iveagh Markets and legal action ensued.
There has now been a new twist in the saga – when the Iveagh Markets were transferred to Dublin Corporation (as it was then) shortly after its completion, a reverter clause was included which required the building to be used as a market for locals in the area.
Lord Iveagh activated the reverter clause earlier this week and has re-taken possession of the building and had new locks applied.
RTE reports that An Bord Pleanála has approved the plans for the greenway along the bulk of the trackbed of the former Farranfore to Valentia Harbour railway in Kerry and associated compulsory purchase orders.
One wonders what the point of a greenway in a lockdown State is.
RTE reports that the bridge over the Royal Canal at Russell Street/Jones’ Road in Dublin is to be renamed Bloody Sunday Bridge, in commemoration of the events of Bloody Sunday (21 November 1920) when the Black and Tans fired on attendees at a match in Croke Park.
Another railway cottage up for sale – however, it is a complete renovation job and comes with the caveat that electricity, water and septic tank are “on site” which doesn’t mean that they are connected.
It is with great upset that I post to record the passing of one of Ireland’s greats in the area of industrial heritage research – Brian J Goggin, who has passed away due to cancer.
I first encountered Brian in his role as editor of the IWAI magazine, in which capacity, I had sent a photo to him for consideration for publication. This was of frogs swimming in frogspawn on the Royal Canal (reproduced below). I am happy to state that Brian published it.
Frogs in Spawn, Royal Canal, Longford, 17 March 2004. Copyright Ewan Duffy
As time went by and the prospect of the Ulster Canal being “restored”
reared its ugly head, I became what I thought was a lone voice in the
wilderness in opposing such restoration. It was to my great (and pleasant
surprise) that I found a bedfellow in opposing this waste of taxpayers’ money
in Brian – a former President of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland
(and boat owner) no less!
Initially, I was unaware of Brian’s views about the Ulster
Canal and, upon seeing him at the back of an IHAI AGM for the first time, I
ignored him, thinking that he had been brought on board to bolster the IHAI
stance of tacitly supporting restoration of the Ulster Canal.
Brian, being of a gregarious nature, unlike me, approached
me at, I believe, the IHAI AGM in Belmont Mill in 2009 to compliment me on my
website (an earlier version of this one) and from there, a friendship was
formed. Over the years, Brian and I have exchanged emails back and forth about
waterways and IH matters with many snippets of information passing between us
(although, if I am to be honest, it was more information from Brian to me than
vice versa).
Included in this collaboration was Brian generously offering
me the chance to include my research into the bridges of the Royal Canal
between the sea lock and Phibsborough in Dublin in a book that he was working
on. This was subsequently published by the Railway and Canal Historical Society
in 2014 as “The Royal Under the Railway: Ireland’s Royal Canal 1830 – 1899” –
an 8 chapter work documenting previously unpublished historical matters about
the Royal Canal (Chapter 7 was my contribution).
Like myself, Brian has maintained a website (www.irishwaterwayshistory.com)
on which he has published his research (into the inland waterways and
navigations of Ireland), the maintenance of which I hope can be secured and the
information thereon – if not the site itself – transferred to another host, in
order that it can be preserved for future use by others.
Ireland has lost the most significant researcher into the
history of its inland waterways and navigations and I wish to extend my deepest
condolences to his wife Anne and their children on their loss.
CIE must be getting out of house owning – another house is up for auction on their behalf.
This house on Blythe Avenue in Dublin’s East Wall is a bit of a challenge as it appears to be fire damaged, something that accounts for the low AMV of €135k.
For once, a railway property that I might have been interested in has come for sale, but as it is an auction (a method of selling I refuse to partake in) I won’t be getting involved.
Located on the Carlingford peninusla in Co. Louth, the station at Bellurgan was last used as such in 1951 when the Dundalk, Newry & Greenore Railway closed. The former station building is for sale at a price of €230,000.
With COVID19 restrictions leading to reduced economic activity and the possibility of a hard Brexit still present (Bellurgan is border territory), I think this is overpriced.
