Statue of "Out Lady" is visible at CIE Inchicore Works.

Run_to_da_hills

A statue of our lady in a grotto can be seen from from the train window when passing the CIE railway works at inchicore,

How long has this been around?

Did the Roman Catholic Church have the same grip over the railways in Ireland as it had over hospitals and schools?

Surely with religious equality such displaying of religious icons in public work places should now be reviewed.

parsi

Considering that they ignore the safety signs and what-have-you I doubt that they're paying much attention to a statue.

Cookie_Monster

Inchicore works is not a public place though

I'm all for exterminating religion but there are so many other important things that need to be fixed in IE first before something like that is attended to

Judgement Day

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Inchicore works is not a public place though

I'm all for exterminating religion but there are so many other important things that need to be fixed in IE first before something like that is attended to

You're just pissed off that "the rapture" didn't happen yesterday. Did you cancel your holiday plans?

n97 mini

Our Lady isn't the exclusive property of the RC church, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Zebra3

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

A statue of our lady in a grotto can be seen from from the train window when passing the CIE railway works at inchicore,

How long has this been around?

Did the Roman Catholic Church have the same grip over the railways in Ireland as it had over hospitals and schools?

Surely with religious equality such displaying of religious icons in public work places should now be reviewed.

If it's on CIE land, it should be removed.

Run_to_da_hills

Zebra3 wrote: »

If it's on CIE land, it should be removed.

Tax payers land.

parsi

I knew it rang a bell..

Back in 1951 Archbishop Mc Quaid (him of the crozier bashing and ring kissing) intervened in a CIE strike and in thanks the workers bought a statue :

http://lxoa.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/archbishop-mcquaid-and-the-cie-strike/

OurLadyofKnock

They should sack Dick Fearn and make that statue CEO.

Drimnagh Road

Indeed, you'd get more response from a statue... or a stone for that matter.

Judgement Day

parsi wrote: »

I knew it rang a bell..

Back in 1951 Archbishop Mc Quaid (him of the crozier bashing and ring kissing) intervened in a CIE strike and in thanks the workers bought a statue :

http://lxoa.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/archbishop-mcquaid-and-the-cie-strike/

And I thought that I was bad for knowing mind numbing trivia!

Niles

Apparently back in the 19th century at one of the English railway works (Crewe I think) employees were threatened with the sack if they didn't attend church on Sunday. And people think a Church-run society is an Irish phenomenon.

Run_to_da_hills

Dose anyone know if this statue has ever "moved"?

Cookie_Monster

Judgement Day wrote: »

You're just pissed off that "the rapture" didn't happen yesterday. Did you cancel your holiday plans?

The Raptor

Victor

I'm not sure if this is really a transport thread.

Pineapple stu

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

A statue of our lady in a grotto can be seen from from the train window when passing the CIE railway works at inchicore,

How long has this been around?

Did the Roman Catholic Church have the same grip over the railways in Ireland as it had over hospitals and schools?

Surely with religious equality such displaying of religious icons in public work places should now be reviewed.

Its been there for a very long time and shouldnt be touched.

parsi

Judgement Day wrote: »

And I thought that I was bad for knowing mind numbing trivia!

I read it recently when Noel Browne was in the news 50 years after resigning as Minister for Health after being hamstrung by the church and the medical mafia.

L1011

Pineapple stu wrote: »

Its been there for a very long time and shouldnt be touched.

The length of time its been there doesn't matter at all as to whether it should be there or not. Which it shouldn't, as its state property.

Pineapple stu

Its only a statute, a lot of workers prayed at it during their lunch break. Should they be denied to continue doing this just because a few heads might have an issue with the statue.

L1011

Pineapple stu wrote: »

Its only a statute, a lot of workers prayed at it during their lunch break. Should they be denied to continue doing this just because a few heads might have an issue with the statue.

To be blunt - yes.

It is not the state's position to be endowing any religion and hence there should be no religious symbols, idolatry, etc on state land. The workers can use their own time and place for this.

Manach

This thread is yet another example of a militant subset of atheists making Ireland a more tolerant place by seeking to purge public spaces of dissenting modes of expression.

L1011

Manach wrote: »

This thread is yet another example of a militant subset of atheists making Ireland a more tolerant place by seeking to purge public spaces of dissenting modes of expression.

The standard accusation of militancy as a crutch from someone who can't think of a proper reason to defend the state supporting one religion over another; how predictable.

dermo88

The statue is doing no harm. Militant Atheism irritates me even more than excessive religion and false piety.

The foundations of modern European civilisation are overwhelmingly Christian. It gave comfort to the poor, the powerless, the disinfranchised in less wealthy times. If it provides comfort in the darkness, doubt and despair of life, then what harm does it do? Quite the opposite I argue, at its best, religion is a potent force for good.

We claim, that today we are more enlightened because of our technology. But consider the old operating environment on the railways. It was not as safe, not as certain, not as secure.

For example the civil war, when derailments and attacks happened. The Emergency.....where the men who kept the system opened prayed to be kept safe, and that they would eventually get home.

The Cahir accident of 1956, when the two lads on the footplate took a plunge into the River Suir.

Consider....the reality is certain that in the last few moments of their lives, they prayed that they would be safe. Amidst the brake failure on the footplate, as they descended the 1/80 bank, you cannot deny for one minute that the driver was likely saying "Hail Mary full of grace", as they accelerated faster and faster, out of control through Cahir station.

The driver of 125 at the Ballyoughter/Clogh disaster on 31st December 1975, as the bridge gave way and the engine hurtled through the air while he was bounced in the cab. He prayed he would survive, of that I am certain.

John Charles McQuaid comes across in quite a good light considering his intervention and peacemaking in the 1951 CIE strike, where he stood on behalf of workers. Workers which were being treated far worse than today.

I think it is wise to put things in perspective. I am no bible basher in any way shape or form, but some respect for beliefs, spiritual or agnostic is required. Tolerance goes both ways, and it does not mean discarding all the ways of the past, just some of them. That way is a path to a better future.

foggy_lad

I often wondered why the likes of inchicore works was never opened up to the public for guided tours where stuff like that statue and old locomotives and rolling stock lying idle in far flung corners could be seen.

BrianD

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

A statue of our lady in a grotto can be seen from from the train window when passing the CIE railway works at inchicore,

How long has this been around?

Did the Roman Catholic Church have the same grip over the railways in Ireland as it had over hospitals and schools?

Surely with religious equality such displaying of religious icons in public work places should now be reviewed.

I would have no problem with it.

There's far too much political correctness in this regard with Christmas trees and cribs removed from hospitals less they cause offense. How would they?

Religion plays a huge role in any society, the world over. It's not unusual to see religious icons in public places and around infrastructure.

Practicising or not and despite our problems with the RC church in recent decades, the majority of people are a member of a christian religion. One would expect such icons to appear. Nobody wants to live in a sterile society. I would guess that the statute in Inchicore may have been paid for by the workers themselves?

dermo88

foggy_lad

I often wondered why the likes of inchicore works was never opened up to the public for guided tours where stuff like that statue and old locomotives and rolling stock lying idle in far flung corners could be seen.

Occasionally, once every few years, Inchicore does have an open day. The last one I recall was in May 1996 in the dying days of the A Class, and the new De Dietrich coaches were on display. There may have been some since.

It is'nt open for a variety of reasons. One major one is public liability insurance. We are talking here of an industrial complex, with a lot of heavy machinery lying around.

The staff need to be constantly vigilant, as there are children around. It may be difficult for them also, and I can't blame them for that. The amount of staff attending could be in the dozens. Whether they are paid for that day or not, I do not know. It is possible through their membership of (say) the IRRS or RPSI that they are doing so on a voluntary basis.

While substantially quieter than it was in the days of locomotive haulage, every railway is a working environment that requires constant vigilance, and that, has been shown time and time again to only be as good as its weakest link.

Should that fail, at any step, the press will step in, and claim "Iarnrod Eireann/CIE incompetence, or some such evocative exagerration to suit a twisted agenda". Now....I am not an Iarnrod Eireann fanboy by any means as my previous posts have shown, but its best to put it into perspective.

As far as I am aware the enthusiast community may bend rules but they are aware of a railways operating environment, and respect the risks involved.

Should an accident occur, it spoils it for the thousands of others, and prevents such tours occurring again.

I am sure there is a way of getting into Inchicore works if you apply in advance, and staff would be content to show you around if they have time. I do not know the procedure involved and suspect that it is not as 'relaxed' a regime as before.

n97 mini

I too find militant atheism highly irritating.

The statue is a (non-) issue for the people who work there.

A.Partridge

Statue of "Out Lady" is visible at CIE Inchicore Works.

...I'm puzzled as to why Margaret Thatcher would be honoured in this way?

Effects

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Dose anyone know if this statue has ever "moved"?

I've heard reports that it pisses blood on bank holidays

jim69

i find that last comment offensive,it should be removed

bmaxi

Niles wrote: »

Apparently back in the 19th century at one of the English railway works (Crewe I think) employees were threatened with the sack if they didn't attend church on Sunday. And people think a Church-run society is an Irish phenomenon.

The clue is in "back in the 19th century".
I wouldn't have a problem with the statue per se, it was put there at a time when it was the thing to do. I remember one place I worked in work would stop to say the Angelus and there was even a branch of the Legion of Mary in house. No regard was ever given to those of different religions or none, hopefully we've moved on from that.

OurLadyofKnock

Victor wrote: »

I'm not sure if this is really a transport thread.

Perhaps it is a moving statue?

Quo Vadis

Zebra3 wrote: »

If it's on CIE land, it should be removed.

Why, honestly what harm is it doing ?

Who are you to decide ?

Should all Pagan and Humanist symbols, Greek statues etc. also be removed from public land ?

If you lived in Thailand would you demand the removal of all statues of Buddha from public land ?

If you respect other peoples peaceful beliefs they will respect yours.

Get on with your own life. (assuming you have one)

testicle

jim69 wrote: »

i find that last comment offensive,it should be removed

I find you offensive, you should be raptured.

OurLadyofKnock

Effects wrote: »

I've heard reports that it pisses blood on bank holidays

Perhaps the only CIE employee which you can depend on to provide a regular service during a bank holiday.