A CIÉ goods train was destroyed after it was stopped and had explosives planted on board.
On 15 August 1973, the 10.15 pm freight train travelling between Dundalk and Derry was intercepted by terrorists around two miles from the border in Northern Ireland. Signalman Cyril Mathers was forced at gunpoint to stop the CIÉ goods train. Two milk churns full of explosives were brought on board and placed in the driver's cabin. A booby trap was set up with the train's engine left running. The area around the train was cordoned off, protected by soldiers and police and a bomb disposal expert was brought in. Bullets were fired at the train until it blew up. The fire burnt for a number of hours before the clean-up operation began.
Cyril Mathers describes the scene when four armed men entered the signal box and ordered him to stop the train as it approached from Dundalk. As it was quite dark at the time of the attack, he could not see how many other men there were but confirmed that others went to the train to plant the bombs. He says he was assured by the attackers that if he carried out their instructions he would be in no danger. As soon as the men left, Cyril Mathers raised the alarm and troops were brought in.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 16 August 1973. The reporter is Rowan Hand.
