De Valera train, Kingsbridge, Dublin City, Co. Dublin.
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Where: Dublin, , Ireland
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When: 01 January 1938
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A rare visit to the O'Dea collection today and a rather unusual image of the "De Valera" train at Kingsbridge, now Heuston, station in Dublin. It would be interesting to know where the Long Fellow was off to in 1938?
While a considerable amount of effort went into trying to discover the background to this image (thanks all!), we have as yet to pinpoint a destination or purpose for this colourful train journey. One suggestions is that the then Taoiseach was on his way to/from Galway with some bishops (and while this might explain the apparent papal arms on the front, may not tally with dates). Another suggestion is that Dev was on his way to Cork for the Treaty Port handover (but this wouldn't seem to explain the train's armorial adornments). What we did learn however is that the loco was seemingly a GS&WR 400 Class 4-6-0 steam engine - so that's something :)
Photographer: James P. O'Dea
Collection:James P. O'Dea
Date: 1938
NLI Ref.: ODEA 1/81
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 19358
While a considerable amount of effort went into trying to discover the background to this image (thanks all!), we have as yet to pinpoint a destination or purpose for this colourful train journey. One suggestions is that the then Taoiseach was on his way to/from Galway with some bishops (and while this might explain the apparent papal arms on the front, may not tally with dates). Another suggestion is that Dev was on his way to Cork for the Treaty Port handover (but this wouldn't seem to explain the train's armorial adornments). What we did learn however is that the loco was seemingly a GS&WR 400 Class 4-6-0 steam engine - so that's something :)
Photographer: James P. O'Dea
Collection:James P. O'Dea
Date: 1938
NLI Ref.: ODEA 1/81
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Info:
Owner: National Library of Ireland on The CommonsSource: Flickr Commons
Views: 19358
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gswr400class
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Apologies all for the late posting today, the rain in Spain spread to Ireland and traffic was jammers!
BeachcomberAustralia
The rain in Spain explains the lateness of the train !
BultacoFan
This is now Platform 2 in Heuston.
Niall McAuley
Streetview
Wendy:
puffing engine - but not a cigarette in sight!
CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvinBoofYTo trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/55947146 www.ucd.ie/t4cms/p0150-devalera-eamon-descriptive-catalog... For Mac users: CMD F, type in 1938 into search field. www.historickilkenny.com/gallery
Bernard Healy
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/ I doubt that’s the same rail journey. Trains from Kingsbridge (now Heuston) would be heading to the West or the South of Ireland.
DannyM8
I believe that flag on the front of the engine is the Papal crest
DannyM8
You can see it clearly here - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000303442
John A. Coffey
In April 1938, de Valera and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement. Was he travelling the Country to explain the agreement?
DannyM8
Something to do with the Eucharistic congress in Budapest in 1938?
Myrtle26
No lady travelers then?
O Mac
Or was he traveling the country on being elected president of the league of Nations in September 1938?
BeachcomberAustralia
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/mosskayree] There was a lady, and a dog, and a child. See this other photo (earlier?) - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000148223
BeachcomberAustralia
Or perhaps this - on 11 July 1938, Irish Troops take over the Cork harbour defences at Spike Island. "... Old comrades in the Anglo-Irish struggle met in the carriages and corridors of the special train which brought a large party from Dublin to Cobh for the ceremony. A large crowd gathered at Kingsbridge station to see off the party. ..." From - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/167707892?searchTerm=d...
BeachcomberAustralia
Which might explain all these "Evacuation of Spike Island" photos - catalogue.nli.ie/Search/Results?lookfor=evacuation+of+spi... . Important because it was the last fort held by British forces in Ireland.
O Mac
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] I bet you're right. Here's one of Dev himself taking the salute on Spike Island. catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000601507
oaktree_brian_1976
https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia that's awesome
DannyM8
https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia I am normally in agreement with your findings, but this time I think the Papal bunting on the train makes it difficult for me to tie in with the Spike Island theory.
Bernard Healy
Maybe do a search of DeValera & the Papal Nuncio (Archbishop Paschal Robinson) being somewhere together in the South or West in 1938...
guliolopez
As much as I like the Spike Island (Treaty Port handover) suggestion, the bunting and "Papal Keys" banner would seem to support https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]'s theory of an ecclesiastical connection. Perhaps even an ecumenical matter. I will take https://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardhealy's suggestion and have a quick shufty at the archives. < "Hold please - your call is very important to us" >
guliolopez
< "Thank you for holding - we know you have a choice in provider and so appreciate your patience" > So. I searched for a few key phrases in the 1938 news archives: • "Kingsbridge / De Valera" returned absolutely nothing. Not a sausage. • "Train / De Valera" returned mainly descriptions of enthusiastic crowds of (presumably) Irish greeting him with banners and flags off a train. But the London train mentioned in other comments. Not Dublin or Cork. • "Papal / De Valera" returned a few mentions in quasi-society pages. Like a photo from July 1938 of "Mr de Valera with His Excellency the Papal Nuncio and Mrs Duncan Harris at the American Legation". There was mention in a report from Feb 1938 of him being due for a Papal honour (the Order of the Golden Spur, or Supreme Order of Christ, or some such). Could this last event have prompted DeV to adorn his train with Papal arms? While travelling on otherwise 'normal' state business? Seems somewhat unlikely. Are we sure of 1938?
guliolopez
Broadening the search slightly, there is the following text from an Irish Press article of October 1937. While it is somewhat overlap-ish, it's hardly concrete.
The Wikipedia article on the GS&WR 400 Class (including seemingly engine/loco number 402) suggests that they ran mainly on the Cork-Dublin line. This one might require input from one of the (semi)resident train experts.Bernard Healy
Connaught Telegraph 8th Jan 1938 reports that DeV attended the Consecration of Monsignor Joseph Walsh as Auxiliary Archbishop of Tuam on 2nd Jan 1938. That was in Tuam Cathedral. It was DeValera’s first public function as Taoiseach & he is quoted as saying that ‘he was glad to be present at the Consecration of the first Bishop in the new Ireland’. That would be a reference to the new Constitution, I presume. I think this might be a plausible reason for DeValera to travel in a special train decorated with the Papal crest,
Bernard Healy
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/ Also reported in the Indo & Irish Press that Dev was ‘fog bound’ at the Railway Hotel in Athenry after the ceremony, and wasn’t able to return to Dublin until the next day.
Bernard Healy
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/. :( Tuam Herald (08/01/1938) says that Dev was returning to Dublin by car, so maybe this wasn’t a railway trip.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Thanks all! Amazing investigative efforts as usual. Delighted that we've fleshed things out quite a bit. In honesty I'm secretly glad that (for once), we've left something on the table for another day :) :)
Dr. Ilia
Magnificent capture