Sir, – A slight correction to Hugh Oram's wonderfully evocative and concise history of the West Cork Railway System (An Irishman's Diary, May 12th). The final section of this system was not actually completed until April 1891, with the opening of the link to Timoleague and Courtmacsherry, some five years after the opening of the Skibbereen to Schull link, as referenced by your diarist. My grandfather, whose family have farmed in the Timoleague area for generations, was a teenager when the sleepers were installed for that final link and, as an octogenarian in 1961, he then witnessed the sleepers being taken up – seeing the "industrial revolution" both arriving and departing from this part of West Cork during his lifetime! – Yours, etc,
MARTIN CONDON,
Naas,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – I enjoyed reading Hugh Oram’s article as it brought to mind many stories. My favourite one involved the carriage of racing pigeons. An entry in the “train diary” read “Ballineen Station 8.15. One pigeon dead”. No entry was made at Dunmanway Station. However, the entry at Drimoleague stated “9.15. Pigeon still dead”. – Yours, etc,
DENIS COLLINS,
Dunmanway, Co Cork.