A chara, – Hugh Oram's excellent article in AnIrishman's Diary (October 11th) on Co Donegal's marvellously intricate narrow-gauge railways rightly highlights the extensive use of excursion trains for widely different interests, ranging from pilgrims to the Holy Well at Doon to Orangemen going to Rossnowlagh for the Twelfth.
Lesser-known and, possibly unique, excursions were run by the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway company to bring customers to the Letterkenny hiring fair on May 14th, 1915, and, just eight years later, to carry the faithful to the consecration of the bishop-elect of Raphoe on July 22nd, July 1923. The latter excursion was notable for its advance publicity on separate large posters in both the English and Irish languages. The punchy slogans used at the foot of these posters read: “Quick Service– Cheap Fares” and “Seirbhís Gasta–Ticéidí Saora” – Is mise,
BRIAN Mac AONGUSA,
An Charraig Dhubh,
Co Átha Cliath.
Sir, – Hugh Oram’s mention of the 1925 fatalities on the Letterkenny and Burtonport Extension Railway (L&BER), which ran from 1903 to 1947, is a reminder of the ongoing struggle to connect northwest Donegal with the rest of the world.
My grandfather, James Doherty of Meenbanad in the Rosses, worked on the L&BER in its earliest years.
By 1917 the L&BER had been dubbed "That Old Sinner" by The Irish Times because of its already chequered history.
A century later, northwest Donegal awaits a dual carriageway to Dublin, the A5 western transport corridor having been cancelled in 2011, and the proposed A4 route to Belfast is under threat.
Of course, we have the Wild Atlantic Way, which leads nowhere in both directions. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Donegal.