Four left dead after Donegal railway disaster (1925)

The accident had occurred to the 5.15pm train from Derry to Burtonport, in which at the time of the disaster there were 14 passengers. The viaduct, constructed in a valley and spanning a mountain defile, was nearly 400 yards long.

Amongst the killed were a man and his wife, who were returning from Letterkenny hospital with a son who had been undergoing treatment there. Only one of the 14 passengers of the train escaped unhurt, but the entire crew - engine-driver, fireman, and guard – were fortunate to be uninjured.

Messages of sympathy in connection with the accident have been sent by Sir James Craig, the Northern Ireland premier, Mr T M Healy, Free State Governor-General, and Mr William Cosgrave, head of the Free State government).

Those killed: Mr. Philip Boyle, Leabgarrow, Arranmore, Mrs Sarah Boyle, Leabgarrow, Arranmore (wife of Philip), Neil Duggan, Meenabunone and Mrs Una Mulligan, Falcarragh. Injured passengers: Unnamed Boyle boy, son of Philip and Sarah, who suffered shock, Mrs Brennan, Dungloe, who suffered severe injuries to her head, Mrs McFadden, sister-in-law of Mrs Brennan, who suffered shock, Mrs Bella McFadden, Gweedore, shock, Edward McFadden, Magheraroarty, who suffered shock and a wounded hand, and Denis McFadden, Cashel, Creeslough, who suffered severe concussion. The crew included Neil Boyle, train guard, Bob McGuinness, engine driver, 13 years experience on the Burtonport Extension line, and Con Hannigan, fireman.

On the day following the accident the News Letter despatched a correspondent to the site of the tragedy in Donegal.

The correspondent wrote: “The train was composed of an engine wagon, a third class coach, and a composite coach and guard's van. The train was within a couple of dozen yards of completely crossing the viaduct when the accident happened. It was crawling at about ten miles an hour when a terrific blast of wind swept over the mountain defile, the composite coach catching its full force. The coach was derailed and blown against the parapet, which was partly broken.

“The other coach was dragged along with it and turned a complete somersault. The roof of this coach was smashed almost to matchwood and the occupants were literally emptied into the valley forty feet below. It was in this coach that the four victims were. There are rocks and boulders at the bottom of the valley, while masonry and boulders were falling, at the time, and these wrought dreadful havoc amongst the unfortunate victims.”

They added: “It was over an hour before the dying and injured received succour. The rescuers had great difficulties to surmount by reason of the almost, inaccessibility of victims. At the bottom of the valley, the darkness of the night, there being only poor moonlight, the impossibility of keeping lamps alight owing to the storm and rain, and the desolate nature of the countryside. But in spite of this everything possible was done for the dying and injured, some of whom were removed to hotels in the district, and others to Letterkenny Hospital.”

Three of the passengers, Mr Boyle, Mrs Mulligan and Mr Duggan, were apparently killed outright in the first awful crash. Mrs Boyle was terribly injured and died in the hospital in Letterkenny on the Saturday morning. It was also noted that the Boyles had been returning from hospital with one of their sons who had injured their hand.

The News Letter reported of the Boyles: “The matron of the institution tried to persuade them not to take him out on Friday evening, but to wait until the following day. The father and mother persisted, with fearful consequences . . .The boy sustained a nasty injury to his foot, off which the boot was torn.”

The News Letter reported: “The Boyles leave a family of eleven children. Mr Duggan was a widower with four children, so that fifteen children became orphans through the tragedy. Mrs Mulligan's husband is a shoemaker and there are ten children.”

Sir James Craig, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, sent the following telegram to the chairman of the Lough Swilly Railway at Londonderry: “I have just received news of tragic accident. Please convey sympathy of Northern government to the injured and to the relatives of those who have been killed.”

In his message to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Raphoe, Mr T M Healy, Governor-General bf the Irish Free State, said: “Knowing how deeply your Lordship must be moved by the railway disaster let me venture to say that the whole country mourns for the afflicted members of your flock.”

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Raphoe in a message regarding the rail disaster said: “The news of the Burtonport railway disaster has given me a most painful shock. This deplorable affair will cast a gloom over the whole diocese. I unite, with priests and people, in conveying a message of heartfelt sympathy to the sorrow-stricken relatives.”