THE GALWAY CLIFDEN RAILWAY (10 07 2014)

The line was just over forty eight miles long and must have been one of the most spectacular in the country, running initially along part of Lough Corrib and then through the hugely varied picturesque landscape of Conamara. It wound its way past mountains, rivers, lakes and bogs. .The stations on the route were Moycullen, Ross, Oughterard, Maam Cross, Recess, Ballinahinch and finally Clifden.

It was intended that the construction of the line would be relief work. Within a few months of starting, some 500 men were employed. This number peaked at 1,500 in November 1893, but the project was not without its problems. There were a few changes of management and a strike, but eventually, on January 1st, 1895, the first part of the line was opened. This involved the stretch from Galway to Oughterard, and the rest of the line began to carry traffic from July 1st the same year.

It was a single line with a broad gauge, run by the Midland and Great Western Railway Company. They put a lot of effort into developing Conamara as a tourist attraction. A train taking two hours from Galway to Clifden was a big improvement on the seven hours taken by the horse drawn coach. The Great Southern Railway Company eventually took over the line but after a number of years they decided it was uneconomic, parts of it were in urgent need of repair and it was a heavy drain on their resources, so they announced they were going to close the line. Determined efforts were made to get them to rescind their decision, but sadly on April 27th, the last passenger train pulled out of Clifden.

Two days later a special train came into Galway from Clifden bringing the company’s moveable stock, and on the same day a fleet of passenger buses and lorries were placed on the road to serve the area previously served by the railway.

Our photograph today shows engine no. 583 of class J18 arriving at Galway Station from Clifden. It was originally taken by H.C. Casserley. The Clifden train ran in opposite the signal box and had to reverse into the station. This is one of the illustrations in a booklet entitled “Irish Railways in Pictures, No.2, The Midland Great Western Line”. It was published in 1990 by the Irish Railway Record Society, London area.

An Taisce are organizing a coach tour of Kilconnel Abbey and the Battle of Aughrim site on Sunday next, July 13th leaving the bus station at 10am. The leader will be Luke Nolan. You can book by calling Martin Byrnes at 091 794 435.