Immortalised in song, by Percy French, the West Clare Railway opened on 2nd July 1887. A passionate railway expert, Jackie Whelan will tell the enduring story of this narrow-gauge railway. Charles Stewart Parnell was invited to lift the first sod in laying the tracks and the silver spade he used is exhibited in the Clare Museum.The route of the West Clare Railway travelled from Ennis to Corofin, Ennistymon, Lahinch, Miltown Malbay, to Journey’s end at Kilkee, with a Branch Line from Moyasta Junction, to Kilrush and Cappagh Pier.
Jackie Whelan will reveal the importance of the train service to the people who lived along its route between Ennis and Kilkee. The railway employed about 70 people in Ennis alone. In spite of its reputation for poor time-keeping, it ran successfully up until World War II, when the pressure of improved roads finally began to tell the sad tale of changing times ahead. Jackie Whelan will also speak about the local turf used to power the engines, later changing from steam to diesel powered engines. The last steam passenger train left Ennis on 15 th March 1952. In 1955, the West Clare was the only diesel-run, narrow gauge railway in Britain and Ireland. It continued to run at a loss and finally all services were closed down on February 1961.
After Jackie Whelan’s Talk, “West Clare Railway” concludes, a short documentary film will follow, running for approximately ten minutes. “Tales of Railway’s Past” is an exploration of the memories held by the locals of West Clare regarding the closure of the iconic railway in 1961.