Modes of Transport

Horse-Drawn

Horses and horse-drawn vehicles provided the main means of transport up to the arrival of the bicycle. John Barrow, in his book A Tour around Ireland: Through the Sea Coast Counties in the Autumn of 1835, described his discomfort at having to travel in the 'Swinford car' to Castlebar. He had hired this horse-drawn vehicle for 10s. because the only alternative was to make a journey of 25 km (15 ml) on the mail coach to Ballina and from there by coach to Castlebar. He describes the 'Swinford car' as a cart with two tall wheels, without sides and without ends. "The driver was seated on the shaft and Barrow crouched within inches of the horse's tail, seated on his travel bag and wrapped in his cloak to protect him from the elements. They travelled on 'slowly and steadily at the rate of 3 or 4 miles an hour."

Ballina-Belmullet Express

Photograph from around 1900 of Ballina to Belmullet Express on its way to Belmullet. This was a horse-drawn vehicle of the sidecar or jaunting car style.

Ballina-Belmullet Express

Photograph from around 1900 of Ballina to Belmullet Express on its way to Belmullet. This was a horse-drawn vehicle of the sidecar or jaunting car style.

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The jaunting-car was a more sophisticated form of travelling, designed in the early 19th century and capable of carrying four passengers and a driver. It was the typical mode of transport hired by more wealthy travellers up until the early decades of the 20th century. The spoke-wheeled uncovered jaunting car evolved from the side-car, in which passengers sat back-to-back, resting their feet on wooden foot-rests. The body of the jaunting-car was mounted on springs, with only two wheels underneath. The two long wooden seats were placed lengthways, so that the passengers sat facing out sideways while travelling. There was an elevated driver's seat in the front, although some cars would not be fitted with this luxury in which case the driver would sit on one of the passenger's seats and control the vehicle from the side.

Ballina Street Scene

Photograph of street scene, Ballina, taken by Wynne Photographers c.1890.

Courtesy of Gary Wynne

Ballina Street Scene
Courtesy of Gary Wynne

Ballina Street Scene

Photograph of street scene, Ballina, taken by Wynne Photographers c.1890.

Courtesy of Gary Wynne

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The photograph to the left, from around 1900 shows one of the main streets of Ballina. The absence of motor cars and bicycles is particularly noticeable. While the arrival of the motor-car coincided more or less with the turn of the century, in 1913 there were still only 100 cars registered in County Mayo.

The earliest group passenger transport service in Co. Mayo began in the early 19th century, between Clifden and Westport, and was part of the Bianconi Car Service. This service of horse-drawn road cars was pioneered in Ireland by the Italian emigrant Charles Bianconi (1786-1875). The service was next extended to Achill, prompted in part by visitors to the settlement of the Irish Church Mission Society (known locally as the Colony), established in 1833. Later, the Midland Great Western Railway company took over the Bianconi Car Service between Clifden and Westport, and, from 1910, the company operated a motor vehicle service between these towns, which proved of great significance in developing tourism in west Mayo.

Bicycles and Cars

Group with penny-farthings

Photograph taken in Castlebar by Wynne Photographers c. 1900 of group of people with penny-farthing bicycles.

Courtesy Gary Wynne

Group with penny-farthings
Courtesy Gary Wynne

Group with penny-farthings

Photograph taken in Castlebar by Wynne Photographers c. 1900 of group of people with penny-farthing bicycles.

Courtesy Gary Wynne

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Cycling became popular at the end of the 19th century. Initially a leisure sport, bicycles, including the popular penny farthings, were used for making excursions to beauty spots and places of antiquity. But later, bicycles became an important and affordable means of everyday transport for the majority of people in Mayo throughout most of the 20th century until the now ubiquitous motor car replaced them. Women were as quick as men to avail of this new method of transport, but they favoured tricycles and bicycles with no crossbars so as to accommodate the long skirts in fashion at the time.

Development of the road system in Mayo accelerated rapidly in the 20th century. Travel became increasingly dependent on roads rather than rail. By the 1920s, there were some 250 cars and motor cycles on the roads of Mayo. The following photograph, also taken in Ballina in 1946 shows the change which had taken place since 1900. The number of cars on the street and the absence of horse-drawn transport are in complete contrast to the scene photographed in 1900.

Ballina Street Scene, 1946

Bord Fáilte photograph from 1946 of one of the main streets in Ballina. Compared to an earlier photograph from 1900, the most noticeable features are the cars and the absence of horse-drawn transport.

Courtesy Fáilte Ireland

Ballina Street Scene, 1946
Courtesy Fáilte Ireland

Ballina Street Scene, 1946

Courtesy Fáilte Ireland

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After World War II, cars became increasingly popular. In 2002, there were between 4 and 5 thousand new vehicles registered in the county. The ever-increasing number of privately owned cars has had a tremendous impact on travel patterns and lifestyles. People now travel regularly by road from dormitory towns and suburbs to such urban centres as Castlebar, Ballina and Westport. Maintaining and developing the road system of the county is a major component of Mayo County Council's responsibilities.

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