| Cookie Policy |
Alright, the first one's not narrow gauge (and doesn't run on rails), but our journey up the coast from Kilrush to The Burren to see the house used in Father Ted, did follow part of the route of the West Clare Railway. There are still embankments, bridges and station buildings, and the line once passed close to the coast with its sandy beaches & surfers' waves. The current plan is to rebuild the line from Moyasta east to Kilrush and west to Kilkee, rather than up the coast.
The wharf crane is at Killaloe, near Limerick. It and its companion, are on a short length of track beside the former canal that by-passed the rapids between Upper & Lower Lough Derg, before the lower one was dammed, thus raising the water level to that of the upper Lough.
This has meant use of 2 locks at Ardnacrusha to get past the dam – these are shaft locks with a guillotine gate at the bottom. One has a drop of 20m. and the other 10m.
The Fintown Railway has been rebuilt on a section of the County Donegal Railway line from Stranorlar to Glenties. The line runs alongside Lough Finn, and is northwest of Donegal (where there is a County Donegal Museum at the station). It's rather off the beaten track, although you can get even further off, by continuing south/west to see the impressive Slieve League cliffs.
Click on thumbnail or text for larger photo:
