Looking at Sligo history while waiting for the train
Iarnród Éireann together with Turtle Bunbury Histories and Flahavan’s has installed a beautifully illustrated panel at Mac Diarmada Station, Sligo called, Past Tracks.
Researched by Historian Turtle Bunbury and illustrated by renowned Artist, Derry Dillon, it tells fascinating stories about historical events that occurred in the vicinity of Sligo.
As customers wait for their train, they can learn all about Sligo-born Bourke Cockran. Churchill’s victory in World War II was greatly assisted by his powerful oratory skills, he attributed his speaking talent to his mentor, Cockran, who was born in Claragh, Ballinacarrow in 1854. He grew up on Sligo’s Wine Street before emigrating to the US in 1854, where he went on to be the foremost commercial lawyer of his generation and served in the House of Representatives for over a decade.
There is also details of the three schooners that sailed across the Atlantic from Barnstable, Massachusetts in the fastest westward passage ever for a schooner to bring much needed supplies of corn and flour to the starving population of Sligo by Captain Rodney Baxter, whose Irish cousins included a man by the name of Thankful O’Kelly. These are just a sample of the fascinating tales that are featured.
Historian Turtle Bunbury first approached Iarnród Éireann over a year ago with the idea of creating historic panels at the stations that could be enjoyed by members of the travelling public as they waited for their trains.
Flahavan’s, agreed to come on board as sponsors and ten stations around the country now have Past Track panels, Historian Turtle Bunbury said: “In Ireland, we are surrounded by the past wherever we stand. Past Tracks is about taking some of the stories from our rich history and presenting them to commuters as something that will hopefully intrigue, amuse and maybe even inspire them as they proceed onwards with their journey.”
Iarnród Éireann District Manager for the Sligo area, Tom Ayres said: “The Station here in Sligo is very much part of the local community and I am delighted that my customers have such interesting information to read, while they wait for their train.”