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Festive spirit to celebrate 150 years of Birdhill rail
(31/07/2010)
There was an air of nostalgia for the celebration of a century and a half of rail service in the pretty multiple award winning village of Birdhill, where the occasion was marked with a week-end of festivities.
The local residents turned out in period dress for the celebrations and the hard hats and full length dresses as a reminder of the days of yore, added a special touch to setting the scene for a week-end. The organising and running of the superb programme was a credit to all for the immense amount of planning and careful execution of the busy varied and most entertaining schedule which was impressive.
The celebrations commenced on Friday evening with the arrival of the 6.15 p.m. train from Limerick hooting into the station where the first train rolled exactly 150 years before on the opening of the extension of the line from Castleconnell and station at Birdhill.
On board were about forty local people in period costumes who were greeted on arrival by their equally traditionally attired neighbours and friends and members of Birdhill Tidy Village Committee who organised the celebration.
Iarnrod Eireann were represented by Noreen Clohessy, District Manager, Iarnrod Eireann and Nicholas Moroney, Station Manager.
The honour of unveiling a commemorative plaque at the station was accorded to the oldest citizen of the area, 95 year old, Thomas Floyd who arrived at the station in a horse drawn carriage, accompanied by his 92 year old sister, Margaret Larkin (Ballina).
Denis Floyd, Secretary, Birdhill Tidy Village Committee welcomed the large gathering of local people , friends and guests.
"Esteemed colleagues of the Grand Jury of North Tipperary, our new found friends of the Railway Company, Learned Gentlemen of the Clergy, members of our local Constabulary, and all ye pheasants of Birdhill, you are most welcome this evening", he said..
"You are all very welcome as we gather to commemorate 150 years of this railway station. We can only surmise what life was like 150 years ago, which we can get a glimpse of in our history books and the tradition which as been handed down to us" he added.
He recalled that in 1860 Abraham Lincoln became the 16th President of the USA, the Pony Express made its great run across America and Queen Victoria was on the throne in England and Ireland was just recovering from the great Famine.
"The first railway line in Ireland was opened in 1834, between Dublin and Dun Laoghaire and gradually lines were extended throughout the country. In 1858 the line from Limerick to Castleconnell was opened and shortly afterwards it was decided to extend the line to Killaloe. Birdhill was just an incidental stopping point on the way.
"A sum of £37,000 was allocated by an Act of Parliament for that extension. The line eventually reached Birdhill and was opened on July 23, 1860. Birdhill was the end of the line. A turntable was put in a couple of hundred yards up the line here and it took six men seventeen minutes to turn a locomotive to return back to Limerick again.
"It took 45 minutes to travel from Limerick. You could travel first class for 1s. 6d. or 10d to travel third class. To-day the route is costing just E1 and we extend our thanks to Iarnrod Eireann for that facility afforded to people in the locality who availed of it to make the trip this evening.
"Finally the branch line to Ballina - or Killaloe as it was called then - was opened in 1862. Two years later the line from Nenagh was extended out to Birdhill. There were a number of companies operating the various line in those year and there was little co-operation between them, but eventually relations settled down, and a number of the companies amalgamated until eventually CIE was formed into Irish Rail as we know it today.
"When the station opened in 1860 there was just a large shed erected here for storage. In later year there was a residence constructed for the station master - both of those are now gone p but we are left with a wonderful facility, beautiful surroundings in an unique setting, one which like many other institutions has been under threat for some time, but one which we hope will continue for at least another 150 years.
"We are indebted to Irish Rail for affording the local community the opportunity to be involved in the development of the grounds and I thank them for being so approachable and for the improvements which they have carried out and allowed us to carry out over the years" he said.
He recalled the many men who had been associated with the station at Birdhill down through the decades and those who worked on maintaining the line in the area.
Noreen Clohessy, District Manager, said that she was privileged to be present for such a fantastic occasion with everyone looking fantastic in their period costumes.
"It is a privilege to celebrate 150 years of railway history at Birdhill and in 2009 Birdhill won the Best Station Award with local community involvement with Irish Rail.
"I want to thank Denis Floyd and his Tidy Town Committee for all their work. Driving in to-night, Birdhill looks absolutely fantastic. The flower arrangements here at the station are a credit to one and all. I would like to thank Nicholas Moroney, Station Manager and his staff, John Fahy and Michael Ryan, who are out signal men here at Birdhill and help to keep the station spic and span with the help of the Tidy Town Committee. Everything is a credit to one and all" she said.
She added "On behalf of Irish rail thank you very, very much for all your dedication and for the hard work down through the years and enjoy the celebrations over the week-end"..
Following the unveiling there was a presentation of traditional music by local musicians and a guided history walk around Birdhill, while refreshments and traditional brown bread was served in the garden of the station.
An exhibition of artefacts, many linked to the station, and others a reminder of the way of life in the area in previous decades, attracted a lot of interest at Matt the Threshers.
Later in the evening there was Sean nO's dancing, Irish Set Dancing and platform dance at the Cooper's as the entertainment went on into the night with the event favoured with beautiful weather for the celebrations. |
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