The Railway

Lismore Station
© Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

The Duke of Devonshire, whose Irish Baronial seat is Lismore Castle had a keen interest in railways. On 24th June 1869, the Duke subscribed most of the capital and an Act was passed for the Fermoy and Lismore Railway. This extension ran eastward from Fermoy was opened on 1st October 1872.

This extension was worked by the Great Southern and Western Railway. The station at Lismore was later used for the Waterford, Dungarvan and Lismore Line.

It was known locally as 'The Duke's Railway' after its Chairman and main shareholder. At the terminus in Lismore the Duke had an impressive station built out of Portland stone. The shed for the locomotives was constructed out of the same stone.