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Our wonderful librarians in Armagh Library will be hosting this informal Poetry Club starting Wed 1st October.
This offers local poets, bards and scribes the opportunity to read their work, discusss ideas to write and
share experiences in the art of poetry. ( and maybe a free coffee)
Set in the relaxing ambience of our historic Market St Library, the FREE hourly session is open to all who have
live with the burning urge to write down those jumbled collections of thoughts that swim around your mind.
This is a diary date....get it down.
The inaugural night of 'Folk Club @Abbey Lane' got off to a great start with a variety of singers, musicians and poets
entertaining for over 2 hours. With the 'Adrian Kissane Trio' leading the way and Pauline McDonald , the singing MC,
the evening was peppered with new and well known singalong songs from local talents.
Next occasion is Friday 26th 8.30pm start. BOYB and just £10 @ door from 745pm. All talent welcome to try out your own compositions
or sing/ recite your favorite piece with a supportive audience in a relaxed atmosphere of Abbey Lane Theatre.
Here are some of the performers on the night.
'And in a packed programme tonight..' Monty Python
And in a packed Abbey Lane on Friday night our Open Mic got a great send off with over 30! wonderfully talented poets, writers, musicians and singers.
Joining those, our special guest King Colin (Hassard) . A surprise appearance of spoken word Queen Cathy Carson and musical opening by Eoin Kelly.
This was one of the biggest turnouts in the 10 years of the monthly event . Hosted by Malachi and assisted by Matthew Toner (techy) Tim Hanna ( box office) and a loyal team of assistants the bammy summer evening allowed for an overspill on to the courtyard.
So in no particular order contributors were Poets :John Henderson; Michaela McDaid; Emi Uyemastsu; Sarah McCaughan; RosalineCallaghan; Orla Finnegan; Tadhg Carey; Ashton Palmer; Darcy Dougan; Amy Louise Wyatt; Alex Cregan; Yvonne Boyle; Malachy Harris; Nicole Yurcaba; Mars Duignan;
Veronica Keys; Fin Keegan and Malachi Kelly.
Singers/Musicians: Fiona Keane, Mayo; Jonathan Byrne, Newry; Ryan Delaney
Writers/Performers/Prose : Niall McArdleJohanna Gallagher; Joseph Conlan; Siobhan Murphy; Molly McGill; and the one and only Dymphna Ferran.
Highlighting the disaster continuing in Gaza were Valerie Byrne, Margaret Holland and Barry McKee.
DEATHS, INJURY AND ESCAPE
The runaway carriages had gathered speed rapidly for the 1 ½ miles before the collision with the oncoming train and there was inevitably fright and pandemonium and eventually horror amongst the passengers. As the doors were locked, many children were saved by being thrown from the windows, which were too small for adults, who had therefore little chance for escape. The impact of the collision meant that some doors burst open and as a result some adults were able to throw themselves down the Killuney embankment on the right hand side of Portadown Road just outside the city boundary where the crash occurred.
Mrs Hamilton, the wife of an RIC Sergeant, claimed that she had thrown her own and other children to safety before jumping from an open door. Many others were not so fortunate and had no option but to resign themselves to a terrible fate. There was a horrific outcome that to this day is still virtually indescribable. Many died and many were injured. Surgeon-Major Lynn, the leading Methodist layman and one of the organisers, who had been travelling on the train, observed, “Many a bitter battlefield did not display such carnage.” This was a scene of utter devastation.
Help was summoned. The Army from Gough Barracks and the RIC quickly arrived to assist at the scene. Pieces of rail carriages and equipment were scattered around; the belongings of excursionists were strewn on the embankment – it was a place of carnage. People were dazed, parents were looking in desperation for their children, despair was prevalent, and in the midst of this chaotic adversity others were doing their best to help.
One witness, recounting his efforts to help amongst the wreckage, said he saw a dead child with little sisters standing nearby; he witnessed several bodies mangled beyond recognition and people walking around in a dazed state.
Another witness wrote that ‘the screams of the injured were heart-rending. I shall never forget the scene as long as I live’.
Surgeon-Major Lynn, Dr Palmer of the local infirmary and other local doctors worked with the injured. The Army brought ambulances and all kinds of conveyances were requisitioned to transfer the dead and injured. Some doctors came from Belfast and elsewhere to help as news of the scale of the tragedy spread. The Armagh Infirmary was extensively used to care for the injured.
In all 89 men, women and children died at the scene or from injuries sustained in the accident.
FATALITIES AND MOURNING
There were 89 fatalities. All denominations suffered – Church of Ireland (35), Presbyterian (19), Methodist (18), Roman Catholic (9) and others. Amongst the dead was the son of the Rev. William R McMullin, Minister of Abbey Street Methodist Church, who was attending the annual Methodist Conference in Cork. When he returned to Armagh, as well as the trauma of his son lying in a coffin in the Manse, he found that his Sunday School Superintendent, Samuel Steel, was dead and every member of the Abbey Street Church Choir either dead or injured. The loss included many young people - nineteen were under the age of 15, twenty-seven were between 15 and 20. The dead were from every walk of life and included several from the same family.
DEATHS, INJURY AND ESCAPE
The runaway carriages had gathered speed rapidly for the 1 ½ miles before the collision with the oncoming train and there was inevitably fright and pandemonium and eventually horror amongst the passengers. As the doors were locked, many children were saved by being thrown from the windows, which were too small for adults, who had therefore little chance for escape. The impact of the collision meant that some doors burst open and as a result some adults were able to throw themselves down the Killuney embankment on the right hand side of Portadown Road just outside the city boundary where the crash occurred.
Mrs Hamilton, the wife of an RIC Sergeant, claimed that she had thrown her own and other children to safety before jumping from an open door. Many others were not so fortunate and had no option but to resign themselves to a terrible fate. There was a horrific outcome that to this day is still virtually indescribable. Many died and many were injured. Surgeon-Major Lynn, the leading Methodist layman and one of the organisers, who had been travelling on the train, observed, “Many a bitter battlefield did not display such carnage.” This was a scene of utter devastation.
Help was summoned. The Army from Gough Barracks and the RIC quickly arrived to assist at the scene. Pieces of rail carriages and equipment were scattered around; the belongings of excursionists were strewn on the embankment – it was a place of carnage. People were dazed, parents were looking in desperation for their children, despair was prevalent, and in the midst of this chaotic adversity others were doing their best to help.
One witness, recounting his efforts to help amongst the wreckage, said he saw a dead child with little sisters standing nearby; he witnessed several bodies mangled beyond recognition and people walking around in a dazed state.
Another witness wrote that ‘the screams of the injured were heart-rending. I shall never forget the scene as long as I live’.
Surgeon-Major Lynn, Dr Palmer of the local infirmary and other local doctors worked with the injured. The Army brought ambulances and all kinds of conveyances were requisitioned to transfer the dead and injured. Some doctors came from Belfast and elsewhere to help as news of the scale of the tragedy spread. The Armagh Infirmary was extensively used to care for the injured.
In all 89 men, women and children died at the scene or from injuries sustained in the accident.
FATALITIES AND MOURNING
There were 89 fatalities. All denominations suffered – Church of Ireland (35), Presbyterian (19), Methodist (18), Roman Catholic (9) and others. Amongst the dead was the son of the Rev. William R McMullin, Minister of Abbey Street Methodist Church, who was attending the annual Methodist Conference in Cork. When he returned to Armagh, as well as the trauma of his son lying in a coffin in the Manse, he found that his Sunday School Superintendent, Samuel Steel, was dead and every member of the Abbey Street Church Choir either dead or injured. The loss included many young people - nineteen were under the age of 15, twenty-seven were between 15 and 20. The dead were from every walk of life and included several from the same family.
The next day the bells of the city Churches took turns to toll, businesses closed and the streets were deserted as the extent and pain of the tragedy bore down on the community. There followed a long succession of funerals with the last thirty-five victims buried on the Saturday. The scenes in the graveyards are recorded as heart-breaking with the Belfast Newsletter reporting:
“…especially when one hears the groans and sobs of not only women and children, but of strong men who have come to lay their nearest and dearest in their last resting place”.
The Armagh Rail Disaster had a known profound impact, not only within the city and district, but on the national stage as well. A special relief fund was quickly established to help the injured and bereaved. It was also this fund that helped establish a new ward in the Armagh infirmary as a memorial to the Armagh Rail Disaster.
Rev William R McMullin
Minister
Samuel Steel
Sunday School Superintendent
GNR officials were arrested and held in Armagh Gaol, and questioned by the RIC. Public Enquiries, Inquests and Trials took place and all recounted the stories of that fateful day.
Joseph Peel, as the coroner, conducted the Inquests. The Board of Trade produced a report and promised that it would bring in a Bill to improve rail safety. On August, 30th 1889 the Regulation of Railways Act came into force to ensure that such a catastrophe would not occur again.
Armagh families still recall through the generations the impact of the Rail Disaster. It is fitting that a Sculpture was unveiled on The Mall 125 years later to commemorate all those who died and were injured.
The 136th anniversary of Armagh's Railway disaster takes place next Thursday, 12th June.
This tragic loss of life is the worst rail disaster in Ireland's and Armagh's history, taking 89 lives and injuring hundreds.
ATG has performed our interpretation of the events of that day and its following Inquest in 'IMPACT', a two-act play
by Byddi Lee, Tim Hanna, and Malachi Kelly, directed by Margery Quinn.
You can still purchase a signed copy of 'IMPACT' in Macaries Newagents, Shambles; Armagh Co Museum, Mall ;
Navan Heritage Centre and Amazon Books.
