For close to a century, it served as a nine-mile lifeline connecting rural Galway to the national rail network until it closed in 1975 – but next month, the story of the Loughrea and Attymon Railway branch line will take centrestage once again to mark half a century since its demise.

That’s because the Kiltulla & District Vintage Show returns with a special celebration of local heritage this May Bank Holiday Weekend – commemorating 85 years of this branch line.

Opened on December 1 1890, and officially closed on November 3 1975, the Loughrea-to-Attymon Railway served as lifeline connecting that part of the county to the national network.

From as early as 1835, local gentry, clergy, and political figures in Loughrea began lobbying for the construction of a railway, concerned that the town and its surrounding areas would be left isolated from the rest of the country’s expanding rail network.

Their fears were realised in 1846 when Loughrea was excluded from the main Galway railway line.

Undeterred, influential local leaders, including Lord Dunkellin, Bishop Thomas Duggan, and landowners such as Lord Dunsandle, persisted in campaigning for rail access.

After decades of advocacy, their efforts culminated in the passing of the Loughrea Railway Act, which authorised the formation of the Loughrea and Attymon Light Railway Company.

Construction of the branch line from Attymon to Loughrea began in 1889, navigating difficult terrain through Killimordaly bog.

The railway officially opened on 1 December 1890, with Dunsandle as the only intermediate station, marking it as the last branch line of its kind to be laid in Ireland.

Operated by the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR), then the third-largest Irish gauge railway company in the country, the line stretched just nine miles—making it the shortest railway in County Galway.

To mark this anniversary, the exhibition – created in partnership with Dunsandle Railway Station – will showcase over 120 rare photographs, archival newspaper reports, and personal stories that bring to life the history of the railway.

Prominent figures like Lady Gregory utilised the railway to ship wood from her estate at Coole, as did Lord Dunsandle from his own lands. The railway was instrumental in major local developments, such as the construction of Loughrea Cathedral, with materials brought in via the line.

In 1903, special trains were even commissioned for the consecration of Dr. O’Dea as bishop, bringing guests from Dublin and Galway. Despite its importance, the line faced ongoing threats of closure, largely due to growing competition from buses and lorries.

During WWII, rail service was reduced from four trains per day to two. In 1947, snowfall was so severe that services were suspended entirely and did not resume until June of that year.

Over the years, Loughrea ratepayers subsidised the railway in a bid to keep it running. Public meetings were held to protest against closure proposals.

However, the mounting pressure from modern transport alternatives proved insurmountable, and the line was officially closed on November 3 1975.

Half a century on, its story is the centrepiece of the eighth Kiltulla & District Vintage Show, running on Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4 – with a packed programme of which the rail exhibition is just one item.

Sunday’s main show and family fun day offers something for everyone, with a wide range of vintage vehicles – including cars, tractors, trucks, motorbikes, and steam engines – as well as a large working display from Emerald Roadmakers.

Visitors can enjoy live threshing, stationary engines, a saw bench and wood-cutting demonstration, butter churning, and traditional old-time farming displays.

Add to that live music, a children’s entertainment field, and an array of food and trade stalls, and it’s a day packed with nostalgia, history, and family fun.

So whether you’re a vintage or railway enthusiast, or just looking for a memorable day out, this year’s Kiltulla & District Vintage Show offers a chance to step back in time and celebrate an important part of Ireland’s transport history.

Pictured: Attymon Railway Station… part of historical exhibition.