Monthly Archives: December 2011

Harcourt Street Station, Dublin: December 31, 1958

4.25pm, New Year’s Eve 1958.

The last train to ever run from Harcourt Street Station.

From the National Library of Ireland:

This photo ran in the Irish Independent on New Year’s Day 1959, with an article describing the event.
“An hour after the last train had left Harcourt Station at 4.25 p.m. yesterday the 100-year-old terminus bore a derelict look as a sad-faced staff locked up for the last time. The departure of the last train will be long remembered by hundreds of people for among the 500 passengers, there were young children who were having their first and last train journey on that route. Hundreds of people gathered at the station and outside to watch the end of the service. As the train moved out promptly on schedule fog signals exploded and passengers waved to the crowds on the platform.
With tears in her eyes, Mrs Maggie McLoughlin, of York St., who had been selling newspapers at the station for 39 years, said good-bye alone and unnoticed in a corner of the station.
At Bray hundreds of people were waiting on the station to greet the train as it arrived. Some young men attempted to remove fittings as souvenirs but were prevented by the Gardaí on duty.”

 

National Library Of Ireland Flickr Stream

Batteries Not Included

Free-range chicken farmer Tim McGlynn (top) of Oldcourt Hill Farm in Oldcourt, Tallaght, Dublin has been selling free-range eggs and chickens for 11 years, delivering direct to the customer’s door.

The European Union ban on ‘un-enriched’ cages for battery hens will come into force on Sunday, January 1. ’Enriched’ cages – at 750 square cm per hen, allows the birds room to perform “natural behaviours” including nesting, roosting and scratching and provides them with perches and litter trays. Fourteen EU member states continue to keep 46 million hens in un-enriched cages. These countries will face infringement proceedings through the European Court of Justice for breaching EU law.

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

Stupid Aul Pencils

SUGGESTIONS ARE to be drawn up early next year for the disposal of the 7,000 unused electronic voting machines that have so far cost taxpayers €54.7 million.

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has asked the taskforce, which was set up to supervise the winding down of the project, to outline proposals soon for their disposal.

The machines have long been the source of controversy and ridicule among politicians and the public because of the project’s failure and the escalating cost involved.

Strongly defending their introduction, the then taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil in 2007 that by not adopting the new technology “this country will move into the 21st century being a laughing stock with our stupid aul pencils”.

1) Melt ‘em
2) Sculpt ‘em into the shape of Bertie Ahern’s nose
3) Stick it on the Hill of Tara so we NEVER FORGET.

Disposal plan sought for e-voting machines (Irish Times)