Description

The construction of the railway line to Achill remains one of the most socially significant engineering projects in the history of County Mayo. In Rails to Achill, acclaimed transport historian Jonathan Beaumont offers a definitive, heart-stirring chronicle of the train line that fundamentally transformed life on the western coast.

Commissioned under the Light Railways Act to provide a economic lifeline to remote communities, the line carried thousands of seasonal harvest workers, tourists, and vital supplies across treacherous terrain. Beaumont expertly details the building of the line, the tragic historical events associated with it—such as the Clew Bay drowning disaster of 1894—and its ultimate closure during the rise of motor transport in 1937. Today, with the route beautifully preserved as the world-famous Great Western Greenway, this book acts as a brilliant historical window into the past.

Why this is a premier Mayo Interest book:

• Greenway Essential: The perfect historical guidebook for anyone cycling or walking the Great Western Greenway from Westport to Achill.

• Rich Archival Records: Filled with rare vintage photographs, map blueprints, and engineering anecdotes.

• Deep Cultural Value: Captures a pivotal chapter in Mayo’s social history, emigration patterns, and economic survival.