As the final run of the Hill of Howth tram approaches, driver Billy O'Brien shares his memories.
Billy O'Brien worked for the Great Northern Railway for 49 years 25 years of which were on the Howth of Howth tram. He has memories of the tramway opening in 1901. He and his friends played in the old Dublin horse tram parked in Howth station, used to construct the new tramline.
As his father was a signal man Billy O'Brien got to know many of the tram conductors as a young child. He recounts how he found himself in the unique position of steering the first Hill of Howth tram as a 10 year old.
I turned the first trolley on the first car, no 4, that ever came down to Howth Station
The Hill of Howth tramway ran for 58 years, with the first tram departing on 7 June 1901. Initially operated by the Great Nothern Railway it was taken over by CIE (Córas Iompair Éireann) the October before the service closed in May 1959.
The route of the tram line was 5 and 1/4 miles long, running from Sutton Cross right up to the Hill of Howth, with views of Dublin Bay, as well as the Mountains of Mourne to the north and the Wicklow Hills to the south. The trolleys consisted of open top cars, which at the summit, climbed to a height of 350ft above sea level. The Howth tram service had the distinction of recording no serious accidents during its entire history.
Originally 10 cars, it was reduced to eight by time of closing, with the tramline losing money for some years due to the increase in private motor cars. Despite protests by tourist organisations and residents, the Hill of Howth tram made its last journey on Sunday 31 May 1959. The closure marked the end of electric tramways in Ireland at the time.
CIE introduced a new bus service along the route from 1 June 1959 in part substitution for the tramway.
This episode of 'City Newsreel' was broadcast on 25 May 1959. The programme presenter is John Ross and the reporter is David Kearns.
'City Newsreel' was a light hearted weekly news feature which began in 1954 and ran until 1968, featuring a compilation of reports from around Dublin city and beyond. The hosts were John Ross, Karl Jones, and P.P. O'Reilly with other presenters delivering reports including Gay Byrne and Kevin O'Kelly.
This recording is from the RTÉ Archives Acetate Disc Collection which has been digitised with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) Archiving Scheme.
