Curry history group hears of impact of railway on local area
THE main topic of the recent meeting of the Curry Parish History Group was the Collooney to Claremorris railway line and its impact on Curry and surrounding districts from its opening in 1895 to its closure in 1975.
Noel Enright, Moylough (currently employed by Irish Rail) spoke about the early days of railways in the UK and Ireland. Speaking in front of 30 members and guests, Mr Enright highlighted the early pioneers of steam engines including Richard Trevithick and James Watt. He talked about the campaign for the railway in the West which went on for years before construction commenced.
Two main advocates for the railway were Fr O’Hara in Kiltimagh and Canon Staunton in Tubbercurry. Contracts were awarded and construction began in 1891.The estimated cost was £240,000 for the 47 miles involved. Actual costs when completed in 1895 was £294,000. Under the ‘Railway Act’, land was acquired for the railway corridor which in many cases left farms divided.
Where this happened, level crossings were provided with gates required to be safely secured after use, under threat of a substantial penalty.
During the construction phase the railway provided employment for several hundred people.
Grant aid towards employment was delivered by the Congested District Board. When completed permanent jobs were available for track maintenance, gatekeepers, signalmen, linesmen, station staff, inspectors and drivers. Up until the early 1960’s trains transported all manner of freight for shops and business’s, farm produce and animals for farmers and traders.
Noel described the annual countrywide excursions by rail notably those bringing thou- sands of pilgrims to Knock, all arriving at Claremorris with a bus transfer to the shrine. He recalled seeing 12 pilgrim trains parked at the station.
Daily passenger services provided essential travel links to the population. Sadly, the railway closed for passengers in 1963 and for freight in 1975.
John Giblin, interviewed by Olive Bailey spoke about his work and experiences during “the war years” on the railway in Curry. John was employed by contractors and worked in a gang of four loading by hand, hundreds of wagons of turf at the railway siding.
Turf was harvested locally in Fuel bog and transported to Dublin. John described a near-fatal accident he had when wagons were being shunted.
He was taken unconscious to Sligo and hospitalized for six weeks. With wit, deep feeling and sensitivity John described the simple rural life of his youth, a time when the fair day was an event of major economic and social importance, the wild salmon and the pig were seasonal staples and the orderly whistle of trains informed the village.
Anne Coffey described life growing up in a railway cottage at Carrowilkeen South, near Curry. The family kept chickens, two cows and greyhounds and grew their own vegetables alongside the line. Her mother, Kathleen O’Connor nee Gallagher opened and closed the gates as the trains passed each way every day and phoned the next gatekeeper regarding the oncoming train. Her family was paid £1 per year for gate duty and the small cottage was provided rent free. Brian Cahill talked about his early experience with the railway. He lived within a few hundred metres of the track in Cashel. He described how some freight trains coming from Curry to Tubbercurry would struggle on the gradient in Cashel. On occasions the engine could not manage the gradient if they were hauling a heavy load. After a couple of attempts they would split the train, take half into Tubbercurry and return for the remaining wagons. Brian showed photographs of various trains in Tubbercurry, Charlestown and Curry including the last passenger train. An interesting old photograph, taken in Tubbercurry during construction of the line showed a large group of construction workers with their horses.
Martin Brett spoke about his long family connection with Irish Rail beginning in 1895 (three generations of employment). Martin was born in the railway cottage at Carrowwilkeen North.
His grandfather Martin and father Joe worked full time on line maintenance while his sister Marie worked for CIE in Dublin. He spoke about change from steam to diesel in 1958. He also described the excursion trains to Knock, Croagh Patrick and football match “specials”.
Martin spoke about the large snow drifts that blocked the line in the Curry area in the winter/ spring of 1947. The line was blocked for over three weeks.
Peter Bowen Walsh spoke about his long time interest in the railway. He talked about the important role of the railways in the economic development of the country. He also mentioned his trip on the last train south from Collooney to Claremorris before closure of the line.
Peter made an observation that the Northwest suffered from a significant lack of infrastructure and in his opinion, this was due to our weak political representatives. Their next meeting takes place at the Yeats County Inn, Curry tonight, Tuesday 27 th February at 8pm.
All are welcome.