Search Results for 'Galway and Salthill Tramway'

The mid-19th century was an era of little movement of people for social or pleasure purposes. In the post-Famine era, it was only business people of necessity, those who were emigrating or those whose financial circumstances allowed who travelled. Railway travel had come Galway in 1851 and there were a few horse drawn omnibuses operating between the city and the village of Salthill, which was really a rural backwater. But, it was becoming a fashionable place to live and was developing as a tourist destination. It was therefore no surprise when a tramway system between the city and the village was proposed.

When the Galway-Salthill Tramway ceased trading in 1918, it caused a problem for locals who had been using the service as public transport so a group of local businessmen came together on April 5, 1919 to register The Galway General Omnibus Company Limited as a public company. The directors were Thomas McDonough, Joe Young, Robert Mackie, Michael Crowley, Philip O’Gorman, Martin Hynes and Martin Finan. John Leech was the secretary and Joseph Garvey the manager.

The Galway and Salthill Tramway Company was inaugurated in 1877. The Town Commissioners gave the project every encouragement and extended the time limit in which the tracks had to be laid. The single tramline was two and a quarter miles long with eight passing loops, roughly 250 yards apart. The rails were heavy steel, the gauge was three feet wide and the trams were horse-drawn, there was no electricity in Galway for another 12 years or so. The cost of construction was £13,000. The depot was in Forster Street and the western terminus was opposite the Eglinton Hotel.

As the War of Independence hotted up, the British authorities sent the Black and Tans and the Auxiliaries to Ireland to support the RIC. D Company of the Auxiliaries was stationed at Lenaboy Castle and at The Retreat in Rockbarton.

TWO SALTHILL natives - Conor Burke and Melanie McDonagh - have created a series of works taking an irreverent look at the social, seasonal, and architectural icons of Salthill itself, for their new exhibition, Amusement.

TOMORROW NIGHT'S Nathan Carter concert in Leisureland, Salthill, is sold out, but a handful of tickets are available for Saturday's event.

LITTLE GREEN Cars, one of Ireland's most acclaimed indie-rock bands, riding the crest of a wave with their new album Ephemera, play Seapoint, Salthill, on Thursday May 12 at 8pm.