The west clare railway used to run from the county town of ennis to kilrush in county clare. Kilkee girls getting the train to school in kilrush, 1937. But you cant even offer that excuse, in the case of one of the great villains of irish history, captain william henry oshea. In total, 22 out of clares 450 soldiers and sailors died from the flu, according to local historian forrest meek, author of michigans heartland, a history of clare county from 1900 to 1918.
The proposed main line was to start at the canal lock in clare street and would. The engine has been fully restored and is in operation at the museum. The west clare railway line has a unique history and significant elements survive to this day. A few kilometres north of kilrush at moyasta is the only extant section of the west clare railway, which opened in august 1892 and linked ennis via a roundabout route through corofin to southwest clare until its closure in 1961. West clare railway, vintage steam engine, tourist attraction. The clare capital offers plenty of shops to spend your money in, but also nice walks in the towns narrow streets. The kids enjoyed the diesel train and also the fire engine. It was a very important service to the people who lived along its route. The triangular platform of moyasta junction and the station. I think i could justify its inclusion by saying that it had a branch to kilrush, a harbour on the shannon estuary that had been served by the city of dublin steam packet company, which also operated on. West clare railway county clare 2020 all you need to know. The old railway line once again echoes with the sounds of train whistles and steam engines.
Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. To the west of the main station building the cattle dock is seen with sidings running both sides. We enjoyed visiting the west clare railway unfortunately we missed out of a trip on the steam train. Gauge of history an irishmans diary on the west cork railway. Spying a refuse truck i asked one of the bin men if he. West clare railway has been restored to provide a fun day out for families and school tours. Garrity was not the only clare county resident killed by the flu. Researcher with history and folklore project, limerick civic trust.
Ennistymon has a certain notoriety as far as the history and popularity of the west clare railway is concerned as it is believed that the particular saga of the acrimonious relationship between percy french and the west clare started because river water was being used to fill the water tank at ennistymon. On this short film we see train driver, christy buggle take the 1952 diesel engine on a courtesy return trip to. The west clare railway part 3 lahinch to miltownmalbay. Much of the track was then sold to a kenyan railway company, but the moyasta station house and a twokilometre stretch of the line have been restored and its. Jan 27, 2017 but you cant even offer that excuse, in the case of one of the great villains of irish history, captain william henry oshea. The west clare railway is in moyasta, county clare and is a heritage narrow gauge railway museum. In the tracks of the west clare railway available for download and read online in other formats. Dear sir, i have just spent a considerable, and extremely pleasant, time reading your fascinating journey through the history and locations of the west clare. In august 2009, the 117yearold slieve callan was returned to service on the west clare railway after an absence of more than half a century.
The railway line was shut down by the government in 1961 with losses running at. Jackie whelan, originally of the committee for the restoration of the. West clare railways last train journey 1961 youtube. Nowadays ennis railway station is the nearest and bus eireann route 350 stops outside it.
The history of the railway branchline by john wilson the. The west clare railway wcr originally operated in county clare, ireland between 1887 and. Meek also writes that at least 59 county deaths were directly related to the flu. My second visit was in late august 2009, after the west clare railway tank engine slieve callan had returned from alan keefs workshop, duly.
There are a small number of heritage railways in the republic of ireland, reflecting irelands long history of rail transport. Pdf in the tracks of the west clare railway download full. The story has been well documented over the years, in book and song. History, west clare railway, percy french, are ye right there. We found this quite by accident, but went in to see it, we were treated to a really good history of the railway and lots of interesting facts, we. The west clare railway at moyasta irish waterways history. Lahinch was formerly served by the narrow gauge west clare railway, which linked kilrush, kilkee and milltown malbay with ennis. I think i could justify its inclusion by saying that it had a branch to kilrush, a harbour on the shannon estuary that had been served by the city of dublin steam packet company, which also operated on inland waterways. Aug 21, 2019 the west clare railway used to run from the county town of ennis to kilrush in county clare. The station house has the original ticket office, waiting room and ladies waiting. South clare from milltown malbay to kilkee and kilrush opened 1892 3892 for goods and 231192 for passengers.
The locomotive was steamed for the first time on july 14th marking the return of steam to the west clare railway after an absence of over 57 years. It was inspired by an actual train journey in 1896. The following table is a brief history of the west clare railway constructed from, edmund lenihan, in the tracks of the west clare railway, 1999, dublin. Between 1892 and 1952, the slieve callan powered the west clare railway immortalised in song by percy french and it is due back in ennis tomorrow fully restored. It was a 3 foot narrow gauge railway which closed in 1961. The ennis station house built around 1860 served as the terminus of the west clare railway. Dont miss the clare museum the riches of clare to get a great insight into clare now and yesterday. Turning right into the goods yard there is a weighbridge and an adjacent weigh office.
Cie proceeded to close the west cork railway on april 1st, 1961, and by the following year, had. List of heritage railways in the republic of ireland. West clare railway county clare updated march 2020 top. May 17, 2017 clare station and cattle dock in april 1953. Although closed in 1961, the moyasta junction station house and 2km of the old narrowguage line, in kilrush county clare, have now been restored. The line of the west clare railway from corofin to lahinch we recommence our journey at corofin station with the three photos which concluded the last post about the line. Check out for the latest news on west clare railway along with west clare railway live news at times of india. History, west clare railway, percy french, are ye right.
Clare won village of the year in 2010 and anglia in bloom award for best large village 2011 for its floral displays in 2011. The owners of the railway entered an action for libel against percy french the writer who entered a counter claim for being the cause of making him late for a professional engagement. The slieve callan remained on at ennis railway station until 1996. Drawing of a railroad truck or bogie from us army field manual fm 55 20, figure 88. You may be wondering how the west clare railway gets a place on a waterways history site. In the tracks of the west clare railway paints an evocative picture of a time when the railway breathed life into west clare.
Media in category west clare railway the following 62 files are in this category, out of 62 total. Corofin station in june 1961, just after closure earlier inn the year, c irrs. The history of the railway branchline by john wilson. I have always had a liking for the west clare railway, i like the fact it was narrow gauge and that percy french song was always a favorite. List of heritage railways in the republic of ireland wikipedia. I had read that kilkee station building was still standing but had no idea where it was located. The regular events in the glor irish music centre bring the best of irish music on stage. The west clare railway part 2 corofin to lahinch roger. It continued to run at a loss and finally all services were closed down on february 1961. The system was the last operating narrow gauge passenger system in ireland and. West clare railway structures survey 2005 clare county council. It was the last narrow gauge line to remain open in ireland closing in 1961. A short length of line has been preserved at moyasta junction. Gauge of history an irishmans diary on the west cork.
Oct 04, 2009 in august 2009, the 117yearold slieve callan was returned to service on the west clare railway after an absence of more than half a century. Construction of the west clare railway from ennis to miltown malbay was given the royal assent on 7th august 1884, and work began the following november. West clare railway wild atlantic way heritage trails. West clare railway skibbereen eagleskibbereen eagle. The importance, magnitude and impact of the birth of the west clare railway on the local transport system of county clare cannot be measured. Opened throughout in 1892, it connected the market town of ennis with the coastal settlements of kilrush and kilkee. The west clare railway was one of a network of 3ft gauge lines which mushroomed across rural ireland in the wake of the 1883 tramways act. West clare railway link for kilrush the irish times. Apr 20, 2019 2 thoughts on the west clare railway part 3 lahinch to miltownmalbay dave cooper april 24, 2019 at 7. This 3 ft 914 mm narrow gauge railway ran from the county town of ennis, via numerous stoppingpoints along the west clare coast to two termini, at kilrush and kilkee, with the routes diverging at moyasta junction. Things to do in clare in the west of ireland west clare. They have an original steam engine which used to be outside. On our website you can stay up to date with all the happenings in moyasta station.
Drivers side many attempts were made to provide railway transport connections to west clare but the area was just too remote for investors to. The main entrance to clare station and goods yard is along station road which is seen coming in from the north. Clare is 14 miles 23 km from bury st edmunds and 9 miles 14 km from sudbury. The reason oshea didnt make the trains run on time, was that he was one of the great parliamentary champions of the notoriously dilatory west clare railway. Clare is a market town on the north bank of the river stour in suffolk, england. In the tracks of the west clare railway author eddie lenihan.
We found this quite by accident, but went in to see it, we were treated to a really good history of the railway and lots of. Todays contributors offered extra context on the narrowguage west clare railway, and why and how its reliability came to be parodied by french in his 1897 song are ye right there michael. Download pdf in the tracks of the west clare railway book full free. Are ye right there michael is a song by the 19thcentury and early 20thcentury irish composer and musician percy french, parodying the state of the west clare railway system in rural county clare. In 1955, the west clare was the only diesel run, narrow gauge railway in britain and ireland. The west clare railway wcr originally operated in county clare, ireland between 1887 and 1961. Pdf in the tracks of the west clare railway download. To record through storytelling and photographs the magic of the west clare railway made famous by percy french are you right there michael. A portrait of bygone times when the railway breathed life into west clare. West clare opened from ennis to milltown malbay 271887. Aug 21, 2019 the west clare railway was one of a network of 3ft gauge lines which mushroomed across rural ireland in the wake of the 1883 tramways act. Plans have been announced to extend the famous west clare railway into the market town of kilrush within the next two years. Regular train services commenced on 2nd july 1887 with three trains each way connecting with trains on the standard gauge lines at ennis.
How the railways transformed the world public world. For what was a railway is now a disjointed succession of pieces linking not just places but in a way two worlds. It was a steam driven rail service between ennis and kilrush and the journey took about 3 hours. West clare railway, the history of steam trains in ireland and the impact the railway had. Railway reading list railways in ireland, 1834 irish rail.
Some former operations have closed, and aspirant operations may have museums and even rolling stock, but no operating track. The west clare railway and heritage centre activities. A comprehensive history from a man who lived all his life by the line. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. West clare railway news latest news on west clare railway. Fascinating and definitive history of the west clare railway from the first parliamentary proposals in 1845 through its opening in 1892 and down through the years until its controversial closure in 1961. West clare railway county clare 2020 all you need to. February the first 1961 saw the tragic closure of the famous west clare railway.
Sep 05, 2009 february the first 1961 saw the tragic closure of the famous west clare railway. Come visit us and immerse yourself in steam, nostalgia and times past. Many attempts were made to provide railway transport connections to west clare but the area was just too remote for investors to take the risk of spending their money on such ventures. West clare railway kilrush museums activities visit. Experience the famous west clare railway by taking a trip aboard the. The railway company backed down and made a payment i n his favour.
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