A steam engine that ran on the West Clare Railway for sixty years returns to Moynasta in Clare.
The West Clare Railway ran a forty eight mile route from Ennis to Kilkee with a separate branch to Kilrush and Cappagh Pier on the Shannon estuary. A narrow gauge railway, the steam engines were a part of the social fabric of west Clare until 1952 when it changed over to diesel engines.
Imortalised in the Percy French song 'Are You Right There Michael' the line was closed in 1961. Today one of the steam engines received a warm welcome when it returned to Moynasta via Kilrush and Kilkee.
It has taken a decade to restore the Slieve Callan steam engine which ran on the West Clare Railway from 1892 to 1952. Jackie Whelan has been the driving force behind the restoration project. His family has a long association with the railway.
It was about a hundred yards from our own house.
The return of the Slieve Callan brings back memories for Joe Taylor who recalls John Ford shooting scenes here for ‘A Minute’s Wait’ section of his feature film ‘The Rising of the Moon,’
As a ten year old young fella I was an extra.
The restoration of two and a half kilometres of the track from Moyasta means that the vintage engine can be run as a tourist attraction from August.
For steam train driver Richard Gair this is a historical day for west Clare and Ireland as,
Steam engines are few and far between.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 6 July 2009. The reporter is Cathy Halloran.
