About Ballinamore

Dancing in Ballinamore

Ballinamore is located in the heart of Leitrim’s magical lake and drumlin landscape, 150 km north west of Dublin and is strategically placed, close to the major road and rail networks.

Ballinamore sits advantageously between the major towns of the region giving unrivalled choice of access to growing centres of employment.

See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballinamore

Heritage

Ballinamore or Béal an Átha Móir means “Mouth of the Big Ford”. It is so called because it is the main crossing point on the Yellow River. It is situated in what is known as the Valley of the Black Pig which was the frontier between the ancient ‘cúige’ or province of Ulster and the rest of Ireland in the middle of the fourth century

Ballinamore town originates as a mediaeval settlement built at the time of the plantations after a grant of surrounding lands was made in 1621. It grew around its mill, and had flourishing ironworks in the 18th century.

In the 19th century the town was central to the development of the Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Canal and the Cavan and Leitrim railway.

The area’s rich archaeology of ringforts, crannógs burial mounds and sweathouses is all around. The natural heritage includes unique ecosystems such as watercourse, lakes and small woodlands that host a range of flora and fauna.

The town is a fine example of a nineteenth century Irish rural market town – a continuous Main/High Street, with many fine shops and townhouses, important landmark buildings of different periods and blend of attractive colours and fascinating details.

Ballinamore’s logo is taken from the shape of a St. Brigid’s Cross, the local patron saint. It is formed using 4 anvils to celebrate the local tradition of iron works dating from the 18th century.

The Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Canal

The Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Canal was constructed under the Drainage Act of the 1840′s. However, drainage was only one of the reasons why this project was undertaken. The other reason was to form a link between the Shannon and Erne rivers,  thus, joining two of the country’s major inland waterways.

This project took thirteen years to complete and cost around quarter of a million pounds. But unfortunately, it failed to be a success, as it was only used by a very small number of boats.

Within a few years rail had become a much more popular form of transport. Today, the tables have turned, as the railway in Ballinamore no longer exists, but the canal does! The Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Canal was successfully reopened in 1994.

After 3 years of restoration and €29 million provided by the government, the EU and the International Fund for Ireland, the canal was re-born as the Shannon Erne Waterway.

It is now the longest navigable waterway in Europe stretching from the mouth of the Erne all the way to Limerick. It has become a foremost tourist attraction, bringing visitors for leisurely boating holidays from Easter till October each year and with it  has come a new economic boost for jobs and social life in the town.

Cavan and Leitrim Railway

Work began on the Cavan and Leitrim Narrow Gauge Railway in 1885. Orders for the first eight engines were placed in 1886. The line ran from Dromod, Co. Leitrim to Belturbet, Co. Cavan, there it met the Great Northern Railway with a branch line to Arigna.

In 1887 the railway was officially opened to goods and passenger traffic.

Business exceeded expectations right from the start which lead to a demand for extra rolling stock. The railways biggest source of income was transport of livestock from local fairs.

Slaughter houses were opened in Dromod and Ballinamore. Despite the brisk passenger traffic and the large amount of goods transport, in the years after independence, the financial state of the railway was not as good as expected. If it wasn’t for the coal traffic from 1934 onwards the railway may have closed earlier than it did.

In 1925 the Cavan and Leitrim Railway was joined with the Great Southern Railway, it was seen as the only way forward. By 1930 a lack of interest by the Great Southern Railway was evident. The tracks had been lifted from Derrenavoggy to Aughabehy. The carriage shed in Ballinamore had been demolished, allowing the carriages to deteriorate and rot, as they were left out in the open, eventually leaving them unfit for use.

Cavan and Leitrim became more dependent on the coal traffic from the mid thirties. In 1939 the Great Southern Railway announced they were intending to close the Cavan and Leitrim Railway.

The outbreak from World War Two brought extra work, but by 1945 Great Southern Railway was joined with Dublin United Transport Co. to form Córas Iompar Éireann (CIE).

Coal traffic remained busy for the following ten years.

Today, part of Ballinamore Railway station still stands as part of the towns secondary school, and can be seen on “Railway Road, Ballinamore.” Within the last couple of years, half a mile of rail track has beenre built to a temporary terminus at Clooncolry near Mohill.

From Clooncolry the railway is to be extended a further five and a half miles to Mohill, where the plans are also to restore the old station.

At present, development work at Dromod station is taking place. Round trips are available taking approx. twenty minutes. Locomotive sheds, workshops, the restored ticket office and the waiting room are also open for visitors to have a look around.