| / /1845 | Midland Great Western Railway
Incorporated. Act for line from Dublin Broadstone to Mullingar and Athlone [MGWR], and purchase the Royal Canal and its hotels. |
| / /1847 | Midland Great Western Railway
Portion authorised from Mullingar to Athlone [MGWR] and Galway. |
| 28/06/1847 | Midland Great Western Railway
Dublin Broadstone to Enfield [Ireland] opened. Engineer G W Hemans. Contractor William Jeffs. |
| 06/12/1847 | Midland Great Western Railway
Extended from Enfield [Ireland] to Hill of Down. |
| 02/10/1848 | Midland Great Western Railway
Extended from Hill of Down to Mullingar. |
| / /1849 | Midland Great Western Railway
Dublin Broadstone to Enfield [Ireland] and Hill of Down to Killucan doubled. |
| /07/1849 | Midland Great Western Railway
Construction of Mullingar to Athlone [MGWR] and Galway begins. Contractor William Dargan. |
| / /1850 | Midland Great Western Railway
Killucan to Mullingar doubled. |
| / /1851 | Midland Great Western Railway
Enfield [Ireland] to Hill of Down doubled. |
| / /1851 | Midland Great Western Railway
Ballinasloe to Athlone [MGWR] and Oranmore to Galway doubled. |
| / /1851 | Midland Great Western Railway
Builds the Railway Hotel in Galway (now The Hardiman). The hotel was leased to operators. |
| 01/08/1851 | Midland Great Western Railway
Extended from Mullingar to Athlone [MGWR] and Galway. Double as far as Streamstown. |
| / /1852 | Midland Great Western Railway
Doubled from Streamstown to Athlone [MGWR]. |
| / /1855 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Opened from Mullingar (Midland Great Western Railway) to Longford. First step in the line to Sligo. |
| / /1856 | Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Opened from Cavan Junction (Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Cavan. |
| / /1857 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Authorised. |
| / /1857 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Act gives permission for line from Longford to Strokestown, Boyle and Sligo. |
| / /1858 | Midland Great Western Railway
Goods branch to Galway Docks opened. |
| / /1858 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Mullingar to Cavan Junction doubled. |
| / /1859 | North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway)
Liffey Branch. With Dublin Broadstone being remote from the harbour, and the company increasingly desiring access to harbour, powers in the Act of 1846 were renewed for a branch to Dublin's North Wall. |
| / /1859 | Chester and Holyhead Railway
North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway)
London and North Western Railway steamers from Holyhead serve Dublin North Wall, where the LNWR opens a Dublin North Wall [LNWR] station and sidings connected to the Midland Great Western Railway line, the station located just east of Dublin North Wall Goods [MGWR]. |
| / /1859 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Deviation Act for the 1857 Sligo branch Act, for avoidance of mid-Roscommon (Great Northern and Western Railway territory). |
| / /1860 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway)
Connection to Midland Great Western Railway between Athlone [MGWR] and Athlone installed. |
| / /1860 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Attempt to abandon powers to build line. |
| / /1860 | Great Northern and Western Railway
Opened from Athlone [MGWR] (Midland Great Western Railway) to Roscommon. |
| / /1860 | Athenry and Tuam Railway
Line opened from Athenry (Midland Great Western Railway) to Tuam.Worked by the MGWR until 1870. |
| / /1862 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Opened from Longford (Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Sligo. |
| 07/04/1862 | Cavan Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway)
Branch opened from Clones to Cavan (Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)). Worked by the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway. The line crossed the border between north and south six times between Clones and Redhills stations. |
| 29/08/1862 | Dublin and Meath Railway
Opened from Clonsilla (Midland Great Western Railway) to a temporary Navan [DMR] terminus. After earlier consideration of an independent Dublin station, access was granted to Dublin Broadstone. Contractor Moore Brothers. |
| / /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 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Permanent station at Sligo opened. |
| / /1864 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Sligo to Ballysodare doubled. |
| 01/03/1864 | North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway)
Liffey Junction to Dublin North Wall Goods [MGWR] opened. Contractor Moore Brothers. Follows the course of the Royal Canal. |
| / /1867 | Athenry and Ennis Junction Railway
Approaches the Midland Great Western Railway to operate line. |
| / /1869 | Drogheda Curve (Dublin and Drogheda Railway and London and North Western Railway)
A joint line curve authorised from East Wall Junction (Dublin and Drogheda Railway) to London and North Western Railway sidings at Dublin North Wall [LNWR] (there was no direct connection to the Midland Great Western Railway). |
| / /1869 | Athenry and Ennis Junction Railway
Line opened from Ennis (Limerick and Ennis Railway) to Athenry (Midland Great Western Railway). Line operated by company. |
| 01/06/1869 | Dublin and Meath Railway
Midland Great Western Railway takes over the working of the Meath line. |
| /10/1869 | Dublin and Meath Railway
Midland Great Western Railway cuts Kells [County Meath] service cut back to Navan [DMR]. |
| / /1870 | Athenry and Tuam Railway
Midland Great Western Railway ceases to operate the line. |
| / /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)). |
| / /1873 | North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway)
Spencer Dock opened, sidings laid in from Newcomen Bridge Junction. North Wall Goods [CDSP] sidings served the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company (just west of Dublin North Wall Goods [MGWR]). |
| / /1874 | Sligo and Ballaghadereen Junction Railway
Opened from Kilfree Junction (Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Ballaghadereen. |
| 01/11/1875 | Navan and Kingscourt Railway
Completed to Kingscourt. Worked by the Midland Great Western Railway. |
| / /1877 | Sligo and Ballaghadereen Junction Railway
Absorbed by Midland Great Western Railway. (Alternative date 1879.) |
| / /1877 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Branch opened from Nesbitt Junction to Edenderry. Contractor Bagnell. |
| 01/12/1877 | Dublin North Wall [LNWR] London and North Western Railway
First served by Great Northern Railway [Ireland] (ex Dublin and Drogheda Railway) and Midland Great Western Railway passenger trains. |
| / /1878 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Cavan Junction renamed Inny Junction. |
| / /1878 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Cavan Junction to Longford doubled. |
| / /1879 | Midland Great Western Railway
Broadstone Works commences building locomotives. |
| / /1881 | Midland Great Western Railway
North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway)
Exchange platforms opened at Liffey Junction. |
| / /1882 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Double track extended from Ballysodare to Carrignagat Junction, in anticipation of the opening of the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway. |
| / /1883 | Cavan, Leitrim and Roscommon Light Railway and Tramway
Incorporated. Act for a narrow gauge line from Dromod (exchange with the Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) via Ballinamore [Leitrim] to Belturbet (exchange with the Belturbet Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway)). Act includes a branch from Ballinamore [Leitrim] to Arigna. |
| / /1883 | Killeshandra Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Branch authorised from Crossdoney to Killeshandra. (Considered a possible start point for a line to Enniskillen [DandER].) |
| / /1885 | Belturbet Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway)
Opened from Ballyhaise Junction station (Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Belturbet. |
| / /1886 | Killeshandra Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Opened from Crossdoney (Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Killeshandra. |
| / /1888 | Dublin and Meath Railway
Absorbed by Midland Great Western Railway. (Or 1889?) |
| / /1888 | Navan and Kingscourt Railway
Absorbed by Midland Great Western Railway. |
| / /1890 | Midland Great Western Railway
Loch Atalia Viaduct, Galway, swing span fixed in position. |
| / /1890 | Loughrea and Attymon Light Railway
Opened from Attymon (Midland Great Western Railway) to Loughrea. |
| / /1890 | Ballinrobe and Claremorris Light Railway
Working agreement concluded with the Midland Great Western Railway. |
| / /1890 | Claremorris and Swinford Railway
Collooney and Swinford Railway
Light railway companies created for the Waterford and Limerick Railway to complete from Claremorris (Great Northern and Western Railway)to Sligo Collooney Junction (Midland Great Western Railway). Initially proposed by the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway. |
| 01/07/1890 | Great Northern and Western Railway
Absorbed by Midland Great Western Railway. |
| / /1891 | Midland Great Western Railway
Increasing traffic leads to decreasing the lengths of sections with the addition of five extra signal cabins, including 34th, 39th and 46th, named for the distance from Dublin. |
| / /1894 | Drumcondra and North Dublin Link Railway
Act for a line between Drumcondra Junction and Church Road Junction, and a curve from North Strand Junction to Dublin Amiens Street. This line follows an easier gradient than the parallel North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway). |
| / /1895 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Opened from Galway to Oughterard, the first part of the Connemara Railway. |
| / /1895 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Extended from Oughterard to Clifden. |
| / /1895 | Achill Extension Railway
Line opened from Mallaranny [2nd] (replacing the Mullaranny [1st] of the Westport and Mullaranny Railway) to Achill. The Government backed line was handed over to the Midland Great Western Railway on completion. |
| / /1895 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Doubled from Collooney [MGWR] north to Collooney Junction (junction for the Collooney and Swinford Railway) Double track was not extended a little further north to the nearby Carrignagat Junction. |
| / /1895 | Claremorris and Swinford Railway
Collooney and Swinford Railway
Sligo branch of the Waterford and Limerick Railway opened from Claremorris South terminus (Athenry and Tuam Extension to Claremorris Railway) to Claremorris (Great Northern and Western Railway) and on to Collooney Junction (Midland Great Western Railway), Sligo. |
| / /1895 | Collooney and Swinford Railway
Connection under the Midland Great Western Railway to the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway near Collooney Junction opened to goods. |
| /07/1896 | Claremorris and Swinford Railway
Collooney and Swinford Railway
Connection under the Midland Great Western Railway to the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway near Collooney Junction opened to passengers. |
| / /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. |
| / /1902 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Recess Hotel Platform opened to serve the railway company hotel (acquired 1895, rebuilt 1898). |
| / /1911 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Served by a slip coach. |
| / /1911 | Shantalla Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
A 1.5 mile mineral branch is laid from close to Corrib Viaduct on the Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) to Shantalla for granite and marble quarry workings. |
| / /1911 | Waterford and Limerick Railway
The Midland Great Western Railway ceases stabling two engines at Limerick for its traffic using running powers to and from Athenry. |
| / /1912 | Midland Great Western Railway
Attymon Junction to Athenry doubled. |
| / /1922 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Recess Hotel Platform closed with burning down of the railway owned hotel by Republicans during the Civil War, preventing its use by the Free State Army. |
| / /1922 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Sligo station burned down. |
| / /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. |
| / /1924 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Longford to Inny Junction singled. |
| / /1925 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Clara and Banagher Railway
Great Southern Railways - Clara exchange platforms closed, service altered so a single engine could serve both lines. |
| / /1926 | Midland Great Western Railway
Oranmore to Galway singled. |
| / /1927 | Midland Great Western Railway
Broadstone Works ceases building locomotives, having built 132 steam locomotives. |
| / /1927 | Midland Great Western Railway
Attymon Junction to Athenry singled. |
| / /1928 | Midland Great Western Railway
Ballinasloe to Athlone [MGWR] singled. |
| / /1928 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Sligo station replaced. |
| / /1929 | Midland Great Western Railway
Mulligar to Killucan singled. |
| / /1929 | Midland Great Western Railway
Athlone [MGWR] to Mullingar singled. |
| / /1929 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Inny Junction to Mullingar singled. |
| 01/10/1929 | Midland Great Western Railway
Meath and Cavan trains diverted from Dublin Broadstone to Dublin Amiens Street. |
| / /1930 | Midland Great Western Railway
Killucan to Consilla singled. Nesbitt Junction to Consilla becomes two parallel single track lines - the main line and Edenderry branch. |
| / /1930 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Carrignagat Junction taken out, the line runs as two single track lines south from Ballysodare. |
| / /1930 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Collooney [MGWR] north to Collooney Junction singled. Collooney Junction controlled by power points from Ballysodare. |
| / /1931 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Closed to passengers. Remains open to excursions and goods. |
| / /1931 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Inny Junction station closed to public (platforms still used by railway families), exchange of passengers changed to Multyfarnham. Junction cabin replaced by power points. |
| / /1932 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Closed to goods, with the exception of cattle trains. |
| / /1933 | Midland Great Western Railway
Broadstone Works ceases maintaining locomotives and is closed. Transferred to the road services division of the railway. |
| 27/04/1935 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Line closed. In closing the line, the Great Southern Railways particularly cited the increase in road competition. |
| 22/11/1936 | Midland Great Western Railway
Drumcondra and North Dublin Link Railway
New link installed at Glasnevin reversing the previous connection. This allows access to North Strand Junction from the Liffey Junction direction. |
| 18/01/1937 | Midland Great Western Railway
Dublin Broadstone closed to passengers. |
| / /1941 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Closed to most trains. |
| / /1944 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Goods withdrawn. |
| / /1945 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Goods restart. |
| / /1946 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Passenger trains restart. |
| / /1947 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Scheduled trains withdrawn. |
| / /1947 | Killeshandra Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Regular trains withdrawn. |
| / /1947 | Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Passenger trains withdrawn (also withdrawn in World War II). However, Cavan station remains open, served from the north by the former Cavan Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway) branch trains from Clones. |
| / /1955 | Killeshandra Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Closed. |
| 14/10/1957 | Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Cavan Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway)
Cavan station closed following withdrawal of passenger trains via the Cavan Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway) branch from Clones. |
| / /1959 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Ballysodare to Sligo singled following the closure of the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway in 1957. |
| / /1960 | Midland Great Western Railway
Galway Docks goods branch closed. |
| 01/01/1960 | Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Cavan Junction to Cavan branch closed. |
| / /1963 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Closed. |
| / /1965 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Closed. |
| 10/04/1966 | Midland Great Western Railway
Galway renamed Galway Ceannt to honour Éamonn Ceannt, one of the executed leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. |
| / /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). |
| 14/01/1985 | Midland Great Western Railway
Athlone [MGWR] closed with the re-opening of Athlone (Great Southern and Western Railway). |
| / /1987 | Midland Great Western Railway
Regular Athlone [MGWR] to Mullingar trains cease. |
The former Broadstone station, terminus of the Midland Great Western Railway, closed to passengers on 18 January 1937 and seen in 1991. The Luas Green ...
Looking east over Liffey Junction from a Sligo train in 1993. To the right is the former main line to the Midland Great Western Railway's Broadstone ...
A Maynooth to Dublin (Pearse) DMU awaits its departure time at Coolmine station, Co Dublin, on 18 January 2014. ...
The 1830 Dublin Connolly to Sligo train about to restart from Mullingar, County Westmeath, in July 1993. ...
A Limerick to Galway train has just come off the Limerick line at Athenry in July 2021. Here it will reverse and head west to Galway. Meanwhile, the ...
Athenry station, looking east towards Athlone and Dublin, on 26th May 2019.
Level crossing and signal box at Athenry on the Dublin - Galway main line on a rainy day in 1988. ...
Athenry station. The Sundays only 11.55 from Galway Ceannt to Limerick Junction has just arrived and is waiting to reverse onto the line to Ennis and ...
Approaching Oranmore, County Galway, from the west past the former goods facilities in 1988. The station, located between Galway and Athenry, closed ...
The afternoon train from Dublin overtakes a jogger (or vice versa?) on the approach to Galway station in 1991. ...
Iarnrod Eireann 03 22342 to Dublin Heuston at Galway station on 21st June 2017. ...
Galway Ceannt Station on 26th May 2019. The Sundays only 11.55 to Limerick Junction awaits departure from Platform 2. 
