Irish Railway Archives

[agho]

Has anybody used the Irish Railway Archives in Heuston Station Dublin? I know they have records for all the ex staff but can't get through to them by phone and got no reply to post. What's the procedure for viewing the records? Is an appointment necessary or can you just turn up on a Tuesday night and view. Does anyone know?

[kidja]

Hi,
The Railway Archives are located near Heuston Station Dublin. The records are available to be examined and photographed every Tuesday evening from 7pm. A volunteer is present and will assist in locating the records. I knew that some of my relatives worked as ganagers and milesmen on the Great Southern & Western Railway in Kildare. I was able to see and photograph their work records.

As you face Heuston Station walk down the right hand side as though you were going to the car park. There are buildings on the right and one of these is the Archive building

Kidja

[agho]

Kidja
thank you very much for that information. Will make a trip to the archives shortly.

[annieoburns]

Yes I had similar frustrating time trying to contact someone there to help me.  Letters were not answered etc . It is an awkward place for me to get to  and how much could you achieve coming in 'cold' of a Tuesday night?  Perhaps you could report back how you get on!   I have family lore of relative dying as a result of railway accident but I found his death in hospital and no mention of accident.  He was a driver.

[agho]

Yes will keep you posted but it will probably be a few weeks before I get there - not in Dublin

[mike13959]

I've only just heard about the Irish Railways Archives from this topic, and would be interested in knowing what records are kept there, and from what dates.

Both my Grandfather, and his brother, were linked to the Railway industry all their working lives, both ending up at Kingsbridge Station in Dublin.

Michael & Richard (Dick) O'Neill held prominent positions there, and I'm told that Richard was destined to become possibly the overall head of operations at Kingsbridge, until his sudden and untimely death in 1941.

Apart from one write up in the Waterford News (his birthplace) from 1941 in which in gave an almost half page account of the funeral/his rise through the Railway industry, and tributes, I have no other details about their
time in that industry.

  So I would be grateful to know if there is some info on the pair of them, that would justify
me making a visit over to Ireland in the near future
Regards, Mike

[agho]

Hi Mike
I have yet to visit the archive, but I've been told that you can see the records of your railway ancestors which cover their entire working life with the company. Records can be photographed. Be aware that the archives are only open on Tues. from 7 to 10 and not open during the summer months. You should be able to track both your relatives careers I think.

[HugoBeauchamp]

The Irish Railways Record Society has a web site at...........

http://www.irrs.ie

and there is a section on their archives that you can view by keying the following 'tabs' on each page

'Library'
'Archive'
'Archive CIE'

Or  you can go directly to the relevant page at .................

http://www.irrs.ie/Common%20Files/archiveCIE.htm

The interesting thing from the genealogy point of view is the penultimate paragraph that refers to 'Irish Transport Genealogical Archive'. Don't get your hopes up though, genealogy questions are not answered (they probably get too many to be able to respond). You would need to get to Heuston station when the IRRS is open on Tuesday evenings.

HB

[mike13959]

Thanks to both Agho & HB for that info and advice.

I'll try and contact the Society, and hopefully make arrangements to visit before Summertime.

Many thanks, Mike