No National Transport Museum?!

Silvera

While visiting the Irish Agricultural Museum in Johnstown, Co Wexford during the week I picked up a booklet entitled 'Transport Preservation In Ireland 2005'.

(It's not very clear if the book was written by an Irish or U.K author).

It details many of the Railway and Transport groups, societies, enthusiasts, etc who are working around the country trying to preserve our transport heritage.

In the introduction, the author talks (quite rightly!) about the lack of a dedicated/purpose-built national transport museum in the Republic and how no other EU country would allow such a situation to develop.

He mentions also the lack of co-operation by CIE to help enthusiasts around the country, while at the same time the company will nearly 'bend over backwards' to help similar enthusiasts outside of Ireland??!

He goes on to mention the fact that plans are being considered regarding the setting-up of a national transport museum in an ex-CIE yard in Mullingar.
He claims that this site is totally unsuitable as it has little scope for expansion and trains parked up there are regularly vandalised.

He (rightly) suggests that a purpose-built museum on a 'green field site' should be built like the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum in Co.Down.


Will we ever see such a dedicated museum being built, or will the powers-that-be continue to ignore our transport heritage?

Silvera

Interestingly, The Foynes Flying Boat Museum (Privately run, which recently recieved a full size flying boat replica) is set to bring in €50 million to the local economy.

Imagine what a proper transport museum could bring to it's local area?

junkyard

A few friends of mine and myself were only talking about this recently and reckon Fota House in Co. Cork would be an ideal location for a transport museum. Its already got the wildlife park, Fota House and gardens and its got the golf club, a hotel and loads of space for parking. Its not far from Cork city and its even got a railway station with a train running every hour. I think it would be a great location.

mike65

Someone would mention its 3.5 hours from Dublin!

Mike.

junkyard

Since when is Dublin the centre of the universe? Wasn't the last one in Killarney? Anyway Cork is the real capital of Ireland.;)

Silvera

junkyard wrote:

Since when is Dublin the centre of the universe? Wasn't the last one in Killarney? Anyway Cork is the real capital of Ireland.;)

Well if they are thinking about moving it to Mullingar, I don't see why Cork shouldn't be considered...if it has a suitable location.

Re "the last one in Killarney"
The Museum of Irish Transport in Killarney is 'alive and well', indeed thriving!
It is currently (in my opinion) the best transport museum in Ireland.

(There is a link to various museums in my Museum thread).

Regardless of where it is built - Ireland should have a modern national transport museum in this 'day and age'!!

Lyre61

Is there more to Ireland than Dublin? Must look some day

tomaxcars

I thought there was a NTM -

http://www.nationaltransportmuseum.org/

My brother was there recently - said it could have been better organised - but plenty of nice old commercials etc.

Andrew.

Silvera

tomaxcars wrote:

I thought there was a NTM -

http://www.nationaltransportmuseum.org/

My brother was there recently - said it could have been better organised - but plenty of nice old commercials etc.

Andrew.

Yes, but the current museum is not a dedicated/purpose-built museum - it's merely a glorified storage shed!

No other country in europe would call such a premises their "national transport museum" !


(N.B. - No offence to the dedicated people who work hard there saving these classic vehicles! It's the govts fault for not building a proper national museum!)