Thursday, 2 April 2020
Rossnowlagh the place to be. Ballyshannon links to the G.N.R. and Bundoran mentioned.
(Courtesy County Archive)
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5 Fun Quiz ( all answers in the blog below)
1. How many halts between Ballyshannon and Rossnowlagh on the C.D.R. line?
2. Where were Soinbhe Lally and her brothers waiting on the train?
3. How long did it take for the train journey from Ballyshannon to Donegal Town?
4. Ballyshannon had 2 railways the C.D.R. and what other railway?
5. who were the train driver, conductor and station master on the final journey from Donegal Town, Ballintra, Rossnowlagh and Ballyshannon?
Friday 24th April 2020.No. 2 most popular blog which was favoured by a lot of Facebook viewers.
A Town with Two Railways
Ballyshannon in the 1950s had two distinct railway companies, two railway stations and was a commercial hub for rail transport for a wide area extending into Donegal, Leitrim and Fermanagh. In the space of two years both railway lines had closed. First to close in 1957 was the Great Northern Railway which was located on Station Road on the south side of the river Erne and had served the area since the 1860s.
In 1959 sixty years ago the County Donegal Railway located on the northern side of the river Erne closed leaving the town with no rail connections to the outside world. The County Donegal Railway (C.DR.) which ran from Ballyshannon to Donegal Town and onwards through the Gap was commonly called “the wee train or the narrow gauge,” by passengers who frequented it during its short lifespan in the twentieth century.The line officially opened for passengers on Thursday 21st September 1905 and the journey from Ballyshannon to Donegal Town took 50 minutes.
Joe Thompson train driver lived at Bachelor's Walk beside the County Donegal Railway station in Ballyshannon
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From Ballyshannon to Creevy and Rossnowlagh
There were a number of halts and stations developed on the C.D.R. line. The train left Ballyshannon Station and travelled via, Creevy Halt, Coolmore Halt, Friary Halt, Rossnowlagh Halt, Dorrian’s Bridge Halt, Dromore Halt, Ballintra Station, Bridgetown Halt, Laghey Halt, Drumbar Halt, Hospital Halt and Donegal Town Station.
The railways were designed to open up isolated areas and make them accessible for goods and services. In areas where no public transport existed, the railway proved a lifeline for shopping, commuting, and getting goods transported to homes isolated from the town.
The line was to prove advantageous to the growth of tourism in Rossnowlagh, as day excursions and regular services brought holidaymakers to the sandy beach resort. Locals from Ballyshannon used the train to go to Creevy and Rossnowlagh which proved to be popular places for swimming and sunbathing. The arrival of the Franciscans in Rossnowlagh in 1946, was to bring additional business to the line, as churchgoers attended Masses, Sodalities and Novenas in large numbers. A special Friary Halt was opened in March 1953 to meet the needs of people visiting the Friary.
The railways were designed to open up isolated areas and make them accessible for goods and services. In areas where no public transport existed, the railway proved a lifeline for shopping, commuting, and getting goods transported to homes isolated from the town.
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| The C.D.R. led to the growth of tourism in the Sandhouse Hotel and Rossnowlagh |
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| Railway bridge and Halt on the line from Ballyshannon to Rossnowlagh. Some railway bridges still intact.in the area. |
Speeding up Emigration
Both railways in the town were to speed up the emigration of people from the area as the following advertisement for the C.D.R. indicated:
“The opening of the new railway to Ballyshannon affords its inhabitants several alternative services to Scotland via England. Not the least important of these is the service from Ballyshannon to Glasgow offered by the C.D.R. and Midland & Glasgow South Western Railways. To leave Ballyshannon shortly after noon and reach Glasgow at midnight is a big inducement to those who wish a speedy run. Leaving Ballyshannon at 12.15 and arriving in Derry in good time to catch the 4pm train for Larne.”
“The opening of the new railway to Ballyshannon affords its inhabitants several alternative services to Scotland via England. Not the least important of these is the service from Ballyshannon to Glasgow offered by the C.D.R. and Midland & Glasgow South Western Railways. To leave Ballyshannon shortly after noon and reach Glasgow at midnight is a big inducement to those who wish a speedy run. Leaving Ballyshannon at 12.15 and arriving in Derry in good time to catch the 4pm train for Larne.”
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Soinbhe Lally, well-known author, and her brothers, waiting on the train at Coolmore Halt.
many years ago. Soinbhe lives in Rossnowlagh with her husband Patsy Lally today.
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The End of the Line in 1959
The end for the C.D.R came quite suddenly when the company issued a statement, in November 1959, stating that they intended ceasing operations on the 31st December 1959. Heavy losses had been recorded for the previous years and major investment would be required to update the rail line. Public reaction was one of sadness and concern as local people saw the closure of the town’s two rail lines within two years of each other. The loss of access to goods and markets, the significant role the railway had played in the growth of tourism, and the withdrawal of a service which had linked town and country were to leave some communities feeling isolated once more.
The final curtain fell on the C.D.R. or “The Wee Train”, as it was called, on the 30th December, 1959, as the last train left Ballyshannon:
“The last railcar from Ballyshannon set out on the journey to Donegal Town at 4 p.m. on Thursday evening to the banging of six fog signals. Driver Joe Thompson was at the wheel and conductor Tommy McCafferty was in charge of the two cars which carried a full complement of passengers, many of whom normally travelled by the service, and others making the journey for sentimental reasons, to bid goodbye to a service that had served them well for over half a century.”
“The last railcar from Ballyshannon set out on the journey to Donegal Town at 4 p.m. on Thursday evening to the banging of six fog signals. Driver Joe Thompson was at the wheel and conductor Tommy McCafferty was in charge of the two cars which carried a full complement of passengers, many of whom normally travelled by the service, and others making the journey for sentimental reasons, to bid goodbye to a service that had served them well for over half a century.”
The last train to arive in Ballyshannon was at 19.OO on the 30th December 1959. A large crowd gathered at the station to say farewell to a railway which had been part of their lives for as long as most could remember.
The reporter from “The Donegal Democrat” captured the mood of those present on that sad occasion:
“There was almost complete silence as the car glided to a stop. It was as if the waiting spectators had suddenly realised that this was indeed the last of the “wee train” which had for so long held such a unique place in their affections. A feeling of sadness pervaded the crowd. There was a spontaneous burst of applause to greet Thompson and McCafferty which was renewed when stationmaster McMahon approached and shook hands with them and received the staff which was placed in the stationmasters office – the final act in the life of the C.D.R.J.C. as far as the travelling public in south Donegal were concerned”.
The Railway Museum in Donegal Town is well worth a visit as it preserves much memorabilia from the C.D.R. era. Many of my generation and older remember travelling on the County Donegal Railway and many of us were present to sadly witness the end of the line in Ballyshannon sixty years ago.
The reporter from “The Donegal Democrat” captured the mood of those present on that sad occasion:
“There was almost complete silence as the car glided to a stop. It was as if the waiting spectators had suddenly realised that this was indeed the last of the “wee train” which had for so long held such a unique place in their affections. A feeling of sadness pervaded the crowd. There was a spontaneous burst of applause to greet Thompson and McCafferty which was renewed when stationmaster McMahon approached and shook hands with them and received the staff which was placed in the stationmasters office – the final act in the life of the C.D.R.J.C. as far as the travelling public in south Donegal were concerned”.
The Railway Museum in Donegal Town is well worth a visit as it preserves much memorabilia from the C.D.R. era. Many of my generation and older remember travelling on the County Donegal Railway and many of us were present to sadly witness the end of the line in Ballyshannon sixty years ago.
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| Limited edition quality hardback with dust jacket as above available when things return to normal in A Novel Idea and Local Hands Ballyshannon and Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town. Also available for postage from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com |
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