Map Of Fingal
This is a map showing the towns and villages of Fingal, Co. Dublin.
Map Of Fingal
Map Of Fingal
This is a map showing the towns and villages of Fingal, Co. Dublin.
Mr Michael Madden was born on August 31 1910 in Limerick. He moved to Dublin with his family when he was aged three. When his family became involved in the transport business, he brought some of the first buses to many towns, including Swords. The map on the right shows some of the towns in the Fingal area served by the Madden family buses.
Santry-Cloughran-Swords Bus, 1928
A black-and-white photo of the Santry-Cloughran-Swords Bus, taken in 1928.
Photograph from Mr Michael Madden's personal photgraph collection.Santry-Cloughran-Swords Bus, 1928
Photograph from Mr Michael Madden's personal photgraph collection.
Photograph from Mr Michael Madden's personal photgraph collection.
Santry-Cloughran-Swords Bus, 1928
A black-and-white photo of the Santry-Cloughran-Swords Bus, taken in 1928.
Photograph from Mr Michael Madden's personal photgraph collection.What follows is an extract 'The Bus to Swords', Swords Voices, vol. 1, part 5.
Here Michael reminisces in his own words about being on the charabancs with his father as a young child:
"I was on the charabancs with my father as I was young then. We went around and brought the Fingallians Football Team all over different parts of County Dublin where they'd be playing."
Early Charabanc-Type Buses
This is a black-and-white photograph of three early charabancs, dated 1927.
Image courtesy of Swords Historical Society, 1997.Early Charabanc-Type Buses
Image courtesy of Swords Historical Society, 1997.
Image courtesy of Swords Historical Society, 1997.
Early Charabanc-Type Buses
This is a black-and-white photograph of three early charabancs, dated 1927.
Image courtesy of Swords Historical Society, 1997.Michael goes on to describe how the Black and Tans were still in evidence at this time in Ireland. The Black and Tans were British soldiers who had served in the First World War and were brought to Ireland in 1920 to help thwart rebellion. They were famous for their violence against local communities.
"There'd be times when the fellows would be playing and somebody'd be on the lookout. They'd say "the Tans are coming", and they'd have to run straight off ... into the charabanc and off as quick as they could.
With the charabancs we had the experience of buses. Those companies starting up, they wouldn't have much experience. We had the experience on the buses from Swords. I think it was six pence each way. I remember when I was a conductor on them ... from Dublin to Swords along by Santry, both buses had to stop the road was so narrow. I brought the first bus from Dublin to Portrane."
The Emergency
During the Second World War (1939-1945), the Irish Government remained neutral. This period was called the Emergency in Ireland, because the Government declared a state of emergency when the war broke out.
Postcard of Children in a Pony and Trap
Swords Historical Society.
Swords Historical Society.
During the Emergency, petrol was rationed and was very hard to get. As a result, many people started to use their old ponies and traps. Other goods, such as food, were also very scarce and were rationed. Life was hard for Irish people during the Emergency.