Buncrana railway station

The station opened on 9 September 1864 on the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway line from Londonderry Graving Dock to Buncrana. It was designed by the Derry architect Fitzgibbon Louch.[1]

The main station building was burned down in August 1903. A servant girl living the station accidentally upset oil lamp over the refreshment rooms, and in a few minutes the whole building was ablaze. The station master rescued his wife and family, and also got out some the railway papers. The damage to the station was estimated to be £5,000 in 1903 prices.[2]

On 4 September 1905, the front axle of a train approaching the station suddenly broke. The train overran the station and the points were torn up for considerable distance. Although no one was injured in the accident, the station was forced to close until repairs were made.[3]

An 18 year old engine cleaner — Hugh McLaughlin from Londonderry - was found dead in the station pump room on 9 December 1909. He lit a fire in the room for warmth and then went to sleep. However there was no outlet for the smoke and McLaughlin died of smoke inhalation.[4]

On 30 July 1922, during the Irish Civil War, Buncrana was captured by the Free State forces from Anti-treaty forces. The Free State forces held the railway station and all the roads entering the town. Later that day, 100 Free State troops commandeered a train at Buncrana station and proceeded to take Clonmany, Carndonagh and other locations on the peninsula.[5]

The station closed for passengers on 6 September 1948.[6] In December 1952, the Irish minister of industry and commerce signed an order authorizing the closure of rail services to Buncrana.[7] Freight services were finally terminated on 10 August 1953.

The station buildings still exist. They were purchased in 1952 by Dan and Molly Porter and have been converted to a public house – The Drift Inn.[8] It is recorded on the Record of Protected Structures in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage of Ireland.