A matter of Record - Donegal Democrat down the years

This week’s look back at the Democrat archives with Michael McHugh looks at proposals for utilising the Erne for power purposes, decades before it actually came to fruition, the closure of the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company, “now probably the only railway undertaking in the world which does not run train services”, as well as calls for the cessation of dumping refuse into rivers and a time when entries for the Ardara Show were greater than the one held at the R.D.S., back in its Diamond Jubilee year of 1983.

Donegal Democrat, August 17, 1923 - 100 years ago

The River Erne - Proposal to utilise it - For Power Purposes

In an article in the “Manchester Guardian Commercial” Ireland on the water power resources of Ireland and the effect of their development on industry, Mr JF Crowley, D.Sc., M.I.E.E., Chairman of the Water Resources Sub Committee of the Board of Trade, and Vice Chairman of the Water Power Resources of Ireland sub committee writes:-

The catchment area of the River Erne is 1,688 square miles and its length 64 miles. The maximum observed flow is given as 12,160 cusecs and the minimum as 600 cusecs. The greater part of the catchment area lies in Northern Ireland but the only possible power sites are in the Irish free State.

Three principal proposals to utilise the river fr power purposes have been put forward.

Two of these comprises proposals for constructing a canal from the lake to a power house at a site where a head of some 120 feet could be obtained.

In one of these schemes the can was to have been five miles long, the head 125 feet and the installed plant of a maximum capacity of 50,000 hp with an average output of 24,000 hp.

A photo from the Ardara Show in 2014

The sub committee proposed to treat this river in a similar manner to the Shannon and to develop it in stages by hydro electric stations in the channel of the river.

Allowing 3ft storage in the lakes, it was estimated that four stations could be erected with a total installation capacity of 71.300 ehp (electrical horsepower) and an average output of 45,000 ehp for £2,060,000 or £28 per ehp installed at then prices (1919).

Note: A cusec is unit of flow equivalent to one cubic foot per second

Donegal Democrat, August 14, 1953, 70 years ago

Century old “Swilly” company abandons Rail for Road

The “Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company” is now probably the only railway undertaking in the world which does not run train services.

On Saturday, the last train to be operated by the company steamed into the company’s Derry station and as it came to a halt an era in the history of public transport in North Donegal, ended after 100 years.

For some time past only goods trains with limited passenger accommodation, had rolled along the remaining sections of the system between Derry and Buncrana and Derry and Letterkenny.

This last train, - it included 14 wagons of cattle and was the longest for a considerable time - travelled from Letterkenny. About the same time a train made the round trip, Buncrana-Tooban Junction - Buncrana and a train ran from Derry to Letterkenny.

Although the railway is now officially closed there will be a few trains operated for some time for “mopping up” purposes.

With the cessation of the railway services the operations of the company will now be entirely on the roads, where a fleet of passenger buses and freight lorries will continue to run, covering over 300 miles of roads as compared to the 100 miles covered in the past.

The Donegal Railways that operated in the county are long gone, but their history is remembered in various ways

Mr J.J. Whyte, general manager and secretary of the company told a reporter:

“We have been accused of closing the railway, but it is not really the company that was responsible. We were forced in that direction because the public showed preference for the more modern form of transport and withdrew support for the railway.

When the company developed road transport and gave the public the service they wanted we got support. The railway went out of business in the process.

We had been subsidised and after seven or eight years of subsidies it dawned on everybody that it was getting us nowhere, he added.

Alleged Football assault - Unusual Killybegs case

At Killybegs Court, before Justice Sean O’Conneide, a Kilcar man summoned another of the same townland for “that he did unlawfully assault and beat complainant by striking him with a football on the 3rd may, 1953.”

Mr P. O’Donnell, T.D., who defended said that there was no evidence to provide that his client assaulted the complainant in any way and asked for a dismiss.

The Justice dismissed the summons without costs.

Donegal Democrat, August 16, 1963 - 60 years ago

Dumping in Donegal Rivers to stop

Letterkenny Fishery Board is to ask the Co. M.O.H. to have stopped the practice of dumping refuse into rivers at Glentes, Gortahork and Kilmacrennan.

There was condemnation of the practice on Lough Fern of fishing with more than one rod at a time, but Mr B.J. Johnston said it was not as prevalent as some years ago. The majority of anglers had found it to be a mistake, he said.

Mr P.O’Donnell again complained that despite recent increases water keepers were still not well paid enough.

Slight increases would be a big advantage. If the Government was anxious to economise, they could do with less embassies and the like.

The clerk (Mr J. Curran) said it was the Department’s policy to employ mobile watchers rather than water keepers. They preferred strangers on protection work.

(Note the above report just merits a single sentence to dumping refuse into Donegal rivers . . . interesting!)

Ballyshannon S.C. teams for Dundalk

On Sunday next, the Erne S.C. Ballyshannon, is sending two teams to Dundalk to compete for the President’s Trophy, All Ireland Water Safety competition.

Both ladies and men’s teams from this club won this competition last year and are striving to annex honours again this year. The competition will be held at Blackrock, at the new £50,000 swimming baths.

The teams are: Ladies - Anna Cassidy (captain), Ann O’Neill, Patricia Cassidy, Soinbhe Cassidy and Marie O’Neill. Men’s - Michael McLoone (captain), John Doherty, Terry McIntyre, Patrick McIntyre and John Moore.

Donegal Democrat, August 12 1983 - 40 years ago

Ardara Jubilee Show breaks all records

The Diamond Jubilee of Ardara Show got off to a sparkling start in brilliant sunshine yesterday.

Thousands of people arrived in the busy little town to be present at the 60th anniversary of this now famous show and tourists mingled with locals, exclaiming in delight and fascination at the colourful array of exhibits and the fine selection of animals competing for cups and trophies.

Show organisers reported that larger crowds than had been seen in Ardara for the Jubilee Show and that entries which approached 1500, a figure higher than that of the RDS, reached an all time record.

Flags and bunting made the town look bright and gay and the streets were filled with music as bands and instrumentalists played throughout the day for the enjoyment of the show patrons.

One of the attractions of the show was the shining Anglo Celt Cup which was put on display to attract contributions for the Donegal GAA Training Fund and there were many visitors to the stand where the cup stood, recalling to the minds of many of Donegal’s wins in Clones in the Ulster Championship.

Among those present were Show Queen Anna Gillespie of Portnoo and the County Agricultural Officer, Mr Liam Synott judged the vegetable and farm produce section.

The prize for champion horse of the Show (The Woodhill House Perpetual Cup) went to Pamela Millarm Glenties; reserve champion was Michael Kennedy of Portnoo. P. Breslin Ardara was awarded the Connie Molly trophy for the supreme animal of the show.

Best overall in the flower section was Mrs Ann Concarr Stonepark. Aradara and the overall winner of the vegetable section was Phonsie Gildea, Glenties. Best overall in the Wine section was Seamus Gallagher, Ardara.