Sligo Mac Diarmada railway station

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English Template:Template other Template:Dublin-Sligo railway line Sligo railway station, also known as MacDiarmada station (Template:Langx), is a mainline railway station which serves the town of Sligo in County Sligo, Ireland. It is a terminal station which now has two platforms and an intermediate carriage siding. The railway at the station is elevated above the surrounding streets and the station building dominates its surrounds. There is a passing loop at the approach to the station. It is named after Irish patriot Seán Mac Diarmada. Iarnród Éireann, Ireland's national railway operator, runs inter-city rail services between Sligo and Dublin on the Dublin-Sligo railway line.

History

The station opened on 3 December 1862, when the Midland Great Western Railway extended their Template:Rws branch to Sligo, adding rail links to the town from Dublin. The Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway linked to Enniskillen to the north in 1881 and the Waterford and Limerick Railway (later the Great Southern and Western Railway) followed with a link to Limerick and the south in 1895. The line to Enniskillen closed in 1957 and passenger services to Limerick closed in 1963.

The station building was burned down and destroyed on 11 January 1923 during the Irish Civil War. Seven engines were sent down the line to the quay and one crashed through a concrete wall into the harbour.

The station formerly had two intermediate carriage sidings rather than one. The southern platform was previously shorter and included a small bay platform. There was a depot previously to the south of the line to the east of the station, the building is now demolished. The turntable was used for turning steam locomotives and later proved useful for turning 121 Class single cabbed diesel locomotives.

Naming

In 1966, Sligo railway station was renamed Mac Diarmada Station after Irish rebel Seán Mac Diarmada from County Leitrim.

Freight terminal

There is a line to the mothballed freight terminal which curves off to the north and downward just before the station. The facility includes a large crane for handling containers.

Connections

Sligo bus station is at street level adjacent to south side of the station.

Gallery

• Sligo Station in 1993
  Sligo Station in 1993
• Sligo station engine shed which has now been demolished
  Sligo station engine shed which has now been demolished
• Station entrance 2016
  Station entrance 2016
• Leaving Sligo in 1985. The locomotive shed is behind the distant locomotive, the line behind the signal box leads to the quay
  Leaving Sligo in 1985. The locomotive shed is behind the distant locomotive, the line behind the signal box leads to the quay

See also

• List of railway stations in Ireland

External links

• Irish Rail Sligo station website