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AONB’s andconservethe protect helpto Such designations Interest. Areas ofSpecial Scientific and of Conservation Areas Special including isreflectedindesignations habitats The importance ofthese andfauna. of flora support arange which specialhabitats landscapeishometo The Binevenagh defence heritage. rich exemplifyingthearea’s Magilligan, at Tower Martello asisthe AONB, withinthe isalsolocated Estate Downhill Temple and Mussenden The famous inthedistance. Jura and withtheScottishislesofIslay (Donegal), and Inishowen Point viewsofMagilligan there arespectacularpanoramic Gortmoreviewpoint, at themountain, From mountain. Binevenagh to inIrelandwhichrisesteeply systems beachesanddune someofthefinest boasts AONB The theoutskirtsofColeraine. and onto ofCastlerock village thesmall to Estuary andtheRoe Foyle theshoresofLough of NorthernIreland,runningfrom West intheNorth areaislocated The Binevenagh heritage. &cultural built beauty anditsrichdiversenatural, natural in2006byvirtue ofitsoutstanding designated was Beauty(AONB) Natural Outstanding Area of Binevenagh OUTSTANDING OUTSTANDING BINEVENAGH BINEVENAGH NATURAL NATURAL AREA OF OF AREA BEAUTY BEAUTY 3 THE RISE OF THE INTRODUCTION RAILWAYS IN IRELAND John Moore Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Museum Services Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is home It is unclear when the first primitive railways (or tramways) to what is widely considered one of the best railway were constructed. Medieval German woodcuts show trucks journeys in the world. The tracks and tunnels of the and carts run on wooden rails were used in early mines, Derry/Londonderry to Coleraine railway have shaped this while evidence shows primitive tramways occasionally being outstanding landscape, offering access to its stunning used for mining in England as early as the 16th century. views, wildlife, amenities and local communities from the However, such examples are few and far between. It took mid 19th century. an industrial revolution for the birth of the railways we see The story of the railways is a fascinating chapter in the today. history of Ulster’s North Coast, a product of the expansion Before the 18th century, Ireland’s economy relied on of industry and innovation in the early 19th century. The agriculture, handicrafts, fishing and small scale cottage construction of the railways includes many interesting industries producing textiles, dairy and other items and eccentric events which have become the stuff of local for market. legend, while the impact of the railways themselves has been significant. But by the 1720s things were beginning to change. Early industrial innovations were being pioneered on Ireland’s This booklet explores Binevenagh’s railways and how they North Coast by landowner and entrepreneur Hugh Boyd shaped the landscape, helped us keep time, grew early of Ballycastle. Boyd transformed Ballycastle from a small tourism and even contributed to the War Efforts of the fishing port and market village into arguably the most 20th century. Memories and stories of local people show important centre of early industry in Ireland. what the railway has meant to generations of residents and visitors. We will also learn more about the rich landscape, wildlife and habitats which can be seen along the Derry/ Londonderry to Coleraine line. 4 5 Boyd expanded Ballycastle’s harbour, built a glass house, The new railways revolutionized transport and travel. salt works, increased manufacturing and established a People could now travel much faster than ever before. colliery and other mines outside the town – he also gave Previously, travel was via roads and a growing canal Ireland its first documented railway. network but this was often long, tedious and expensive. Around 1740, Boyd constructed a tramway (consisting of The capacity to move large numbers of goods and people simple wooden carts running on wooden rails) to transport over long distances at speed meant the new railways quickly stone from nearby quarries to build a new harbour. Later, expanded, leading to the decline of canals as a mode he constructed an additional tramway to transport coal of transport. from Boyd’s mines along the coast, for shipping to Belfast and Dublin. These tramways, and the growth of Boyd’s industries in Ballycastle, were crucial in helping to fuel early Irish industry, paving the way for the rapid change to come. LOUGH FOYLE Broharris Canal THE FIRST MODERN RAILWAYS Limavady IN IRELAND Ballykelly Canal In 1804, Robert Bessbrook River Trevithick invented Ballykelly the first working steam locomotive Ballykelly River which led to the development of the In the 1820s two small canals were constructed in the Binevenagh area. The first was world’s first modern a 2mile long cut connecting Ballykelly to Lough Foyle. The second canal at Broharris was intended to connect Limavady to Lough Foyle in a bid to increase the town’s trade. railway network. However, in a scenario repeated across the UK and Ireland, the arrival of the railway Trevithick’s work removed the need for canals and they fell into disuse. was built on by The first modern railway powered by a steam ‘Railway mania’ quickly spread and new railways popped up locomotive was the Stockton to Darlington railway. It George Stephenson, opened in North East England in 1825 and carried both whose locomotive across Great Britain, Ireland and around the globe in the freight and passengers. powered the first decades following the opening of Stephenson’s Stockton public railway to Darlington line. Thousands of miles of railway lines to utilise steam were constructed and many railway companies emerged as traction in 1825. people realised just how lucrative the new industry could be. 6 7 The earliest proposal for an Irish railway was for a line THE LONDONDERRY & between Belfast and Dublin as early as 1825 but this did not COLERAINE RAILWAY materialise. The first Irish railway opened in Dublin in 1834. The Dublin to Kingstown railway transported goods and COMPANY (L & C) people from Kingstown port into Ireland’s capital. William Dargan, 1799 – 1867 Called ‘the father of Ireland’s railways’, William Dargan built over 800 miles of railway across Ireland. He helped to design the island’s first modern railway, the Dublin to Kingstown, and built the lines between Belfast and Portrush. Dargan also undertook significant public works including the Ulster Canal and Belfast’s Queens Island. In 1836, Royal Assent was granted for a railway between Belfast and Lisburn, the second to be built in Ireland. Opening in May 1839, the Ulster Railway carried 3000 passengers on its first day and was a great novelty for the people of the area. Ulster’s railway network continued to expand. New railway companies were founded and competed to build lines to connect the region. 8 HOYFM.WAG.184 TUNNEL AND SEA STACK, DOWNHILL, CO LONDONDERRY , 9 W A Green , © National Museums NI , Collection Ulster Folk & Transport Museum 10 branch line to Limavady. Limavady. line to branch andDerry/Londonderry, witha betweenColeraine railway andsome30milesof of theembankment construction the thegoaheadfor This gave theproject. £500,000 for raised and successfully 1845, August on4th approval (theL&C)receivedParliamentary Company Railway Despite somescepticism,theLondonderry &Coleraine financethenewrailway. besoldto of landwhichwould 20,000acres reclaim around to intended was construction The embankment’s Point. Magilligan to of LoughFoyle corner thenortheastern cuttingacross Coolkeeragh, from embankment a15milelong runatop to linewas railway The new alsobeincluded. would project land reclamation An extensive scheme. partofamuchgrander only itself was therailway However, andtravel. trade for links transport improving andColeraine, Limavady Londonderry to connectDerry/ lineto arailway Plans weremadefor ambitious. more befar to prove schemewould proposed The other Omagh. and viaStrabane Enniskillen, runto to line was One inthecity. were raised newrailways two for proposals connections withthecityofLondon,hencein1844 strong Derry/Londonderryheld thetimeofPlantation From new railway. a for potential seenasholdinggreat