| / /1844 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Authorised. Line to run from Dublin Kingsbridge (Dublin Heuston) to Cashel, County Tipperary, with a branch to Carlow. Contractors McCormick and William Dargan. |
| 03/08/1846 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Passenger train runs from Dublin to the Curragh. |
| 04/08/1846 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Line opened between Dublin Kingsbridge to Carlow, 56 miles. |
| / /1847 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Dublin Kingsbridge goods yard laid in. |
| / /1847 | Tullamore Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Authorised. |
| 26/06/1847 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Opened from Cherryville Junction to Portarlington and Maryborough. |
| 01/09/1847 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Extended from Maryborough to Borris and Roscrea. |
| 13/03/1848 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Extended from Borris and Roscrea to Thurles. |
| 03/07/1848 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Extended from Thurles to Limerick Junction. |
| 19/03/1849 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Extended from Limerick Junction to Mallow. |
| 29/10/1849 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Extended from Mallow to Cork Victoria, known as Blackpool. |
| /11/1849 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Doubled as far as Buttevant. |
| / /1850 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Doubled to Mallow and Cork Victoria. |
| / /1852 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Inchicore Workshops starts building locomotives. Works is 1.75 miles from Dublin Kingsbridge. |
| 16/04/1853 | Killarney Junction Railway
Opened from Mallow (Great Southern and Western Railway) to Millstreet. |
| / /1854 | Mallow and Fermoy Railway
Incorporated to form a line from Mallow to Fermoy. (Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway - Mallow to Fermoy (Great Southern and Western Railway).) |
| 02/10/1854 | Tullamore Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Portarlington (Great Southern and Western Railway) to Tullamore [1st] (south of the town) opened. |
| 03/12/1855 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Extended from Cork Victoria to Penrose Quay, initially using the goods depot. Cork Victoria closed, becoming a goods yard. |
| 31/12/1855 | Railway Clearing House
By this date, Cork and Bandon Railway, Crieff Junction Railway, Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway, Dublin and Drogheda Railway, Forth and Clyde Junction Railway, Furness Railway, Great Southern and Western Railway, Irish South Eastern Railway, Killarney Junction Railway, Leeds, Bradford and Halifax Junction Railway, Leven Railway, London and South Western Railway, London, Tilbury and Southend Railway, Monkland Railways, Monmouthshire Railway and Canal, Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway, Norfolk Railway, North and South Western Junction Railway, Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway, Peebles Railway, Perth and Dunkeld Railway, Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway, St Andrews Railway, Ulster and Dundalk Railway, Waterford and Kilkenny Railway and Waterford and Limerick Railway join. |
| / /1856 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Siding laid into the Curragh, alongside the unadvertised station. |
| 28/07/1856 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork opened. |
| / /1857 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Borris and Roscrea renamed Roscrea and Parsonstown Junction on opening of the Roscrea and Parsontown Junction Railway. |
| / /1857 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Authorised. |
| / /1858 | Dublin and Meath Railway
Incorporated. Originally planned to run from Lucan on the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1858 | Roscrea and Parsontown Junction Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1859 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Opened from alongside Tullamore [1st] to Athlone. |
| / /1860 | Killaney Junction Railway
Absorbed by the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1860 | Tralee and Killarney Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1860 | Mallow to Fermoy (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Opened from Mallow to Fermoy. |
| / /1860 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Connection to Midland Great Western Railway between Athlone [MGWR] and Athlone installed. |
| / /1862 | Cork and Limerick Direct Railway
Opened from Charleville (Great Southern and Western Railway) to Patrickswell (Limerick and Foynes Railway). Worked by the GS&WR. |
| / /1863 | Irish South Eastern Railway
Absorbed by the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1863 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Line opened from Streamstown (Midland Great Western Railway) to Clara [MGWR] and a connection to the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1864 | Dublin and Baltinglass Junction Railway
Act passed, but construction does not commence. A later Act will approve the Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway). |
| / /1864 | Bagenalstown and Wexford Railway
With the supporting Irish South Eastern Railway being absorbed by the Great Southern and Western Railway, and the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway un-supportive, the line closes. |
| / /1865 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Tullamore station opened on the through line, replacing Tullamore [1st]. |
| 01/04/1865 | Cork and Youghal Railway
Operated by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| 01/07/1866 | Cork and Youghal Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway |
| 01/05/1867 | Kilkenny Junction Railway
Kilkenny to Abbeyleix re-opened. Abbeyleix to Maryborough opened from Kilkenny to Maryborough on the Great Southern and Western Railway, where a connection is not made but a line runs into a bay platform. |
| / /1868 | Parsontown and Portumna Bridge Railway
Opened from Parsontown to Portumna, with the branch continuing a little further west to a pier on Lough Derg. Worked by the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| /12/1868 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork and Youghal Railway
Goods diverted from Cork [Summerhill] to Cork Glanmire. |
| 03/01/1869 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork and Youghal Railway
Connection put in between the lines in Cork between Cork Glanmire and Grattan Hill Junction, used by mail trains. |
| / /1870 | Waterford, New Ross and Wexford Junction Railway
Opened throughout, but to a temporary Macmine [1st] station as the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway was not extended south of Enniscorthy yet. A service, by road, to Wexford operated from Sparrowland. Service operated by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1870 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Roscrea and Parsonstown Junction renamed Ballybrophy. |
| / /1871 | Cork and Limerick Direct Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1871 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork renamed Cork Glanmire. |
| / /1872 | North Wall Extension (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Act for line from Islandbridge Junction (close to Dublin Kingsbridge) to Glasnevin Junction (North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway)) then following that line and a short link from West Road Junction to Church Road Junction (Drogheda Curve (Dublin and Drogheda Railway and London and North Western Railway)). |
| / /1872 | Cork
Horse tramway opened between the Great Southern and Western Railway and the Cork and Bandon Railway. |
| /05/1873 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork and Youghal Railway
Permanent junction put in at Cork Glanmire. |
| / /1874 | Waterford, New Ross and Wexford Junction Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway continues operating the service, having withdrawn the previous year due to condition of the line. |
| / /1875 | Cork
Horse tramway between the Great Southern and Western Railway and the Cork and Bandon Railway closed. |
| /01/1876 | Waterford, New Ross and Wexford Junction Railway
Bought by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| 01/01/1876 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork and Youghal Railway
With a permanent junction put in passenger trains commence using the connection in Cork Glanmire. |
| / /1877 | Waterford, New Ross and Wexford Junction Railway
Absorbed by Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (the portion south of Ballywilliam) and Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| 03/09/1877 | North Wall Extension (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Island Branch Junction to Church Road Junction and thus to Dublin North Wall [LNWR] opened, contractor T W Chester. |
| / /1878 | Parsontown and Portumna Bridge Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway withdraws as operator. |
| / /1879 | Castleisland Railway
Absorbed by the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1880 | Southern Railway [Ireland]
Great Southern and Western Railway
Thurles becomes junction station (actual divergence at Thurles Junction) when the line from Clonmel finally reaches the Great Southern and Western Railway. Worked by the Waterford and Limerick Railway. |
| / /1881 | Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Act for a line from Sallins to Baltinglass. |
| / /1884 | Clara and Banagher Railway
Line opened from Clara (Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)) to Banagher. |
| / /1885 | Waterford, New Ross and Wexford Junction Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway works line west of Ballywilliam. Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway works line east of Ballywilliam. |
| 15/01/1885 | Killorglin Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Opened from Farranfore (Tralee and Killarney Railway) to Killorglin. |
| 22/06/1885 | Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Opened to Colbinstown. Contractor Robert Worthington. Double track as far as Naas. |
| 01/09/1885 | Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Extended to Baltinglass. |
| / /1886 | Tullow Extension Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1886 | North Wall Extension (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Goods line opened east from Church Road Junction to North Wall Goods [GSWR] and 'The Point', east of Dublin North Wall [LNWR]. |
| / /1887 | New Ross Branch (Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway)
Branch opened from Palace East to New Ross. Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway asks the Great Southern and Western Railway to take over the Ballywilliam to Palace East (a portion of the former Waterford, New Ross and Wexford Junction Railway) operation (refused at this time). |
| / /1889 | Kenmare Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Authorised. |
| / /1890 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Marsh by Cork Glanmire and Lower Glanmire Road recovered to allow a connecting line to the Cork and Youghal Railway to be laid. |
| / /1890 | Valentia Harbour Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Under construction, using Government finance. |
| / /1891 | Tralee and Dingle Light Railway
Opened from Tralee (Great Southern and Western Railway) station to Tralee [TandDLR] and on to Dingle and Dingle Pier. Castlegregory branch. |
| / /1892 | Kanturk and Newmarket Railway
Absorbed by the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1893 | City of Dublin Junction Railways
The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway buys locomotives from Sharp, Stewart & Co to work through trains from its line over the Junction line and Liffey line to Islandbridge Junction for through traffic to the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1893 | Kenmare Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Opened from Headland (Killarney Junction Railway) to Kenmare. |
| / /1893 | Valentia Harbour Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Opened from Killorglin (Killorglin Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)) to Valentia Harbour. |
| 01/02/1893 | Great Southern and Western Railway
New Cork Glanmire Road station trainshed opened with curving platforms and connecting line to the Cork and Youghal Railway, replacing Cork Glanmire. |
| 01/03/1893 | Fermoy and Lismore Railway
Operation taken over by the Waterford, Dungarvan and Lismore Railway from the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1895 | Clara and Banagher Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1896 | Drumcondra and North Dublin Link Railway
Purchased by the Great Southern and Western Railway before opening. |
| / /1897 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork and Limerick Direct Railway
One way only north to east curve installed north of Charleville for cattle trains. |
| 12/02/1898 | Waterford and Wexford Railway
Operated by the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway on behalf of the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| 01/11/1898 | Waterford, Dungarvan and Lismore Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway takes over train operation. |
| 01/11/1898 | Waterford and Wexford Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway takes over operation directly. |
| /05/1899 | Mallow to Fermoy (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Fermoy and Lismore Railway
Waterford, Dungarvan and Lismore Railway
Through services between Cork and Waterford begin. |
| / /1900 | Waterford and Central Ireland Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1901 | Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway granted running powers from Waterford to Limerick. Midland Great Western Railway (who had opposed the merger) granted running powers from Athenry to Limerick, used for a passenger train, goods and cattle trains until 1911. |
| / /1901 | Drumcondra and North Dublin Link Railway
Opened by the Great Southern and Western Railway from Drumcondra Junction to Church Road Junction with stations at Glasnevin and Drumcondra. |
| / /1901 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Kilkenny Junction Railway
Junction installed at Maryborough. |
| / /1901 | Cashel Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Act for branch from Goold's Cross. |
| / /1902 | Limerick and Kerry Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| / /1902 | Rathkeale and Newcastle Junction Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| 01/10/1902 | Waterford, New Ross and Wexford Junction Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway extends its operation of the line from Ballywilliam to Palace East. |
| / /1904 | Cashel Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Opened. |
| / /1906 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork and Limerick Direct Railway
North to east curve north of Charleville closed. |
| 30/08/1906 | Mallow to Fermoy (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Fermoy and Lismore Railway
Waterford, Dungarvan and Lismore Railway
Through services between Cork and Rosslare Pier begin. In addition to the new lines opening a new Rosslare Pier station opens. |
| / /1914 | Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Tullow Extension Railway
Ceases to be served by a slip coach which came off at Sallins. |
| / /1918 | Wolfhill Branch
Kildangan to Athy and Mageny to Carlow singled, the lifted line being used for collieries. Connecting with the Great Southern and Western Railway, Athy to Wolfhill opened. Built by British Government. (Castlecomer line opened in 1919.) |
| / /1919 | Great Southern and Western Railway
All of Carlow line singled. |
| / /1921 | North Wall Extension (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Drumcondra Junction to Glasnevin Junction taken out. |
| /08/1922 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Mallow Viaduct blown up. Temporary station Mallow South opened to the south of the viaduct. |
| / /1923 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork and Limerick Direct Railway
Power points controlled from Charleville installed at junction. |
| / /1923 | Cork City Railways
Great Western Railway transfers its share for free to the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| 16/10/1923 | Great Southern and Western Railway
New Mallow Viaduct opened. |
| / /1924 | Bantry Bay Extension Railway
Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway
Midland Great Western Railway
Absorbed by Great Southern Railway. |
| / /1925 | Athlon Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Athlone (Great Southern and Western Railway) closed. |
| / /1928 | Cashel Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Petrol railcar introduced (water at Cashel was in short supply). |
| / /1932 | Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Tullow Extension Railway
Announcement of closure (did not close at this time). |
| / /1937 | Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Sallins to Naas singled. |
| / /1941 | Athlon Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Clonsast Power Station siding laid in. |
| / /1944 | Cashel Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Services suspended. |
| / /1945 | Cashel Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Re-opened. |
| / /1947 | Cashel Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Closed to regular passengers and goods. |
| 10/03/1947 | Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Tullow Extension Railway
Regular goods trains cease. Cattle trains continue. |
| 27/10/1947 | Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Tullow Extension Railway
Regular passenger trains cease. Specials to Naas continue. |
| / /1954 | Cashel Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Closed. |
| / /1957 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Inchicore Workshops ceases building steam locomotives. |
| / /1958 | Killorglin Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Valentia Harbour Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Diesel introduced. |
| 21/03/1959 | Baltinglass Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Tullow Extension Railway
Closure of line after final special to Naas. |
| / /1960 | Kenmare Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Closed. |
| / /1960 | Killorglin Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Valentia Harbour Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Closed. |
| / /1965 | Athlon Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Clonsast Power Station siding removed. |
| / /1967 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Waterford and Limerick Railway
Curve put in between Kyle Crossing (GS&WR) and Milltown (W&LR) at Limerick Junction. |
| / /1967 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Cork and Limerick Direct Railway
Closed. |
| 27/03/1967 | Mallow to Fermoy (Great Southern and Western Railway) Fermoy and Lismore Railway Waterford, Dungarvan and Lismore Railway
Waterford (excluded) to Mallow (excluded) via Lismore closed. Trains diverted via Limerick Junction. |
| 08/08/1968 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Waterford and Limerick Railway
First passenger train uses the new curve at Limerick Junction for the Dublin to Limerick service. |
| / /1973 | Midland Great Western Railway
Galway Ceannt and Mayo trains cease using the Athlone [MGWR] to Mullingar section, diverted to the Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway). |
| / /1974 | Athlon Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Loop installed at Clonydonnin. |
| 09/06/1979 | Waterford and Kilkenny Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway
The two parallel lines from Lavistown into Kilkenny become one when Lavistown Junction is laid in. |
| 01/08/1980 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Derailment at Buttevant, resulting in the loss of 18 lives. |
| 14/01/1985 | Midland Great Western Railway
Athlone [MGWR] closed with the re-opening of Athlone (Great Southern and Western Railway). |
| / /1986 | Great Southern and Western Railway
Roscrea and Parsontown Junction Railway
Junction at Ballybrophy converted into a reversing spur at the station. |
| / /1994 | Waterford and Kilkenny Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway
North to south curve laid in making Lavistown Junction a triangular junction |
Exterior of Dublin Heuston station, seen from tram stop, on 20th June 2016. This station was originally opened as Dublin Kingsbridge on 4th August ...
A view over Dublin Heuston station roof, with the fine original terminal building visible in the centre left of the picture. Heuston opened as ...
Dublin Heuston station interior, with class 22000 DMUs visible, on 6 November 2018.
Part of the restored station at Maryborough, Victoria, in May 2013. The lengthy single platform here is visited by two DMU services per day. See image ...
There is a standard gauge line into and beyond Maryborough from Ararat which shows no sign of recent use. This image shows the somewhat crude ...
The impressive station building at Maryborough, Victoria, in 2013. Maryborough (pop c 7600) was described by Mark Twain as a railway station with a ...
CIE 149 waits in the bay platform at Ballybrophy in July 1993 with a train for Limerick via Nenagh. ...
Limerick Junction, with Iarnrod Eireann 01 28050 waiting to depart for Limerick on right, seen from Kent Station Cork to Dublin Heuston train, behind ...
The late running Sundays only 13.00 from Dublin Heuston to Cork is just departing Limerick Junction, with the 11.55 from Galway having just arrived in ...
The Sundays only 14.00 Dublin Heuston to Cork arrives at Limerick Junction on 26th May 2019.
A Dublin train about to leave Limerick Junction in April 1996 behind IE 204 River Barrow. ...
Iarnrod Eireann 22 136 to Kent Station Cork at Mallow station, the junction for the branch to Killarney and Tralee, on 19th June 2017. ...
Mallow North signalbox from a passing train in 1988. Curving to the right is the stump of the direct line to Waterford, opened by the Waterford, ...
Arrival at Mallow, Co Cork in 1988. Just south of the station is Killarney Junction where the Tralee branch joins the main Dublin - Cork line. ...
Mallow in 1988. Meeting point of the Tralee branch and the Dublin - Cork main line. ...
The former site of Cork Glanmire station, Penrose Quay, on 25th May 2019. The original Great Southern & Western Railway station in Cork was a terminus ...
Cork Kent. Class 2600 DMU at rest in Platform 3, used for Cobh and Midleton trains. 31 January 2019. ...
Cork Kent (formerly Glanmire Road) Station.On a plinth at the station is former Great Southern & Western Railway 2-2-2 No.36 built in Liverpool in ...
CIE 056 stands at the buffer stops in Cork station with parcels vans in 1988. ...
