industrialheritageireland.info – Page 26 – Ireland's industrial heritage

Railway map of Ireland

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 5th May 2023

Courtesy of the Donegal Daily website, I became aware of the existence of this website, which shows the location of current and former railways on the island of Ireland. They claim that it is also available on the Irish Rail website, but a check of this led nowhere.

The production is reasonable, but only shows the location of the lines and no further details. For a more detailed set of maps of the current and former railways of Ireland, including stations and a page for each of the latter, my railway maps of Ireland can be consulted. The one aspect where this other site is better than mine is that it also shows city tramways, which I have not included on my site.

As a final thought, the article states that the website was developed with the support of Irish Rail. I thought that the State (which Irish Rail is, as a loss making State owned enterprise) was not permitted to fund projects where private capital (mine) has already funded something similar (see above).

IH News 2023

Canal plaque, Kilcock

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 3rd May 2023

Sometime in April 2023, the commemorative stone below appeared at the canal harbour in Kilcock.

Commemorative stone plaque, Kilcock Harbour, Co. Kildare. Copyright Ewan Duffy 2023

I have no idea about who is behind it or why it was felt necessary to note the restoration of the canal harbour at this remove from the actual event.

History Overseas

Port cochere

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 3rd May 2023

A port cochere is defined as a covered entrance large enough for vehicles to pass through. They were a regular enough feature for public buildings of scale in the 19th century, allowing horse drawn traffic to enter a covered area for unloading.

There is one at Heuston Station, which is a rather squat affair:

compared to that at the train station in Palermo, Sicily. The Italians must have had higher carriages.

Port cochere, Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Copyright Ewan Duffy 2023

History Overseas

Manhole covers in Rome

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 3rd May 2023

I was recently in Rome for the first time (a stopover before getting the train from Rome to Sicily) and noticed that many of the manhole covers in the streets had the initials SPQR cast into them.

Rome manhole cover. Copyright Ewan Duffy 2023.

For the uninitiated, this stands for “Senatus PopulusQue Romanus” in Latin, or “the Senate and the People of Rome” in English.

It is interesting to see the use of Latin in modern era infrastructure.

Events

West Cork Railway book

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 25th April 2023

In 2022, a book was published – “West Cork Railways – Birth Beauty and Betrayal”, written by Chris Larkin. Out of print, a revised 2nd edition is due to be launched on 28th May in the Oriel House in Ballinhassig.

History Site Updates

Castlecaldwell Station

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 21st April 2023

I have created a page on the site containing old photos of Castlecaldwell Station in Fermanagh, which have been provided to me by Gabriel O’Connor, son of the last stationmaster at the station.

Many thanks to Gabriel for doing this and allowing me to include these on the site.

General

Minor railways in Ireland

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 20th April 2023

I can say with confidence that I know where all “public” railways in Ireland are/were but private industrial/other railways are a different matter as these can be developed and disappear in short periods of time and as such, would not be picked up by organisations such as the Ordnance Survey.

One such line is this one, built and maintained by an individual somewhere in the west of Ireland.

IH News 2023

Irish Mist book – call for information

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 19th April 2023

Irish Mist was a liquer produced in Tullamore, Co. Offaly between 1947 and 1985.

Offalyhistory, with the support of Creative Ireland and Offaly County Council, are looking to publish a book on the production of Irish Mist and are calling for those who can provide first hand accounts of working in the production of the drink to get in touch to share this or any other relevant information.

From the Offaly Express:

“Please contact John Flanagan, Ardan Heights, Brian Jaffray or Michael Byrne or Frank Nicholson. Why not email us info@offalyhistory.com or call to Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay, Tullamore.”

Greenways IH News 2023

The Big Bad Greenway is coming

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 23rd March 2023

Cry me a river. Agriland.ie reports on the “concerns” of a farmer in Cork about the possible building of a greenway along the former railway route from Mallow to Dungarvan.

Complaints about farms being split have no merit – when there was a railway there (up until 1967), any farm was split and had to move livestock etc across an operational railway. Doing the same across a greenway is far less hassle as people/bikes can stop in a shorter timeframe than a moving train. The specific farm in question only acquired the route in 1982 – what did they do pre-1982?

The usual objections that arise around any other infrastructure project are also trotted out – pollution and in this case, the effects on freshwater pearl mussels. So, build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything (BANANA).

I’m sure if the farmer wanted to build a one off house in the countryside, they would not have any concerns about pollution or anything else for that matter.

Events

The History of a Port City: Transport, Trade and an Archive

Post author By ewan.duffy
Post date 17th March 2023

The above titled lecture, given by Lar Joye (Heritage Officer for Dublin Port Company) will be held on 29th March 2023 in the Milestone Gallery at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin at 19:30.