Memories of the Hill of Howth Tramway [Ireland]
With a request for help

From: "Douglas & Heather" <dugihet70@clara.co.uk>

It is wonderful seeing the photos of the trams going up Howth Hill. I remember as young child being taken on the trams. I was born in Clontarf during the war, my dad got a job in Northern Ireland with GoodYears Tyre and Rubber Company but the firm closed during the war and transferred many employees to Wolverhampton, UK, so I have lived in the UK since I was 5 years old.

My dad who has just turned 94 and was born and brought up in Howth. [He is very frail physically, but mentally still very astute]. He lived in 7, St Lawrence Road Howth. He was the youngest son of the COCHRAN family.

His Grandfather on his mothers side was John ANGUS who according to a census for 1901 lived at 125, Howth Village in 1901 and was aged 73. He was skipper of a 3-masted ship, which he sailed the 7 seas. Other than that I don't know much about him.

He had a son John, [Or they called him Jack] he was 44 in 1901. he lived at 44, Howth Village. They evidently ran a coal merchants, but also were chandlers.

I also had 2 elderly Aunts, Ant Haddie and Aunt Ollie ANGUS who lived I think [I might be wrong on the name of the Road] 1, Howth Hill, but on a map of Howth I have recently bought I can't find a Howth Hill, I can still see the house a Big old Terraced type, and we used to play croquet on the back lawn, it was up a hill from the harbour, on the right hand side of the road as you walked away from the harbour. There may be many Roads like that.

I am also trying to find where John Angus senior was buried which would be a protestant cemetery. Is there such a cemetery in Howth?

Sorry for asking all these questions, but I'd love to know more about Howth and my family.

My Grandmother Elizabeth Cochran [Nee Angus] was an accomplished musician, also ran her own private day school in Howth, and wrote and had published poetry of which I have a copy of her poems. If you hear anything about the ANGUS family particularly please let me know.

But thank you so much again for taking me down memory lane. I live in Kent UK, but am tied as my husband is disabled and I would find it difficult to get over to see Howth for myself, so love to get some help from people over there.

Heather Graham [Nee Cochran]

From: "David Blacoe" <davidblacoe@hotmail.com>

I have lived in Howth all my life. I am 13 years old. I was looking at your website recently. Obviously I was not around when the trams were running, but i do know a lot about them. I'm not sure if you have a map of the exact route that the trams went. but if not I can post one out to you.

There is a National Transport Museum in Howth which has around 100 vehicles in it, three of which are the original trams that ran on the Hill of Howth. Tram number 9,224 and the directors tram, No.9, was the last ever tram to run on the tracks. These trams have all been restored. There are plenty of other vehicles in the museum which includes fire trucks, army vehicles and milk carts. Tragically a few years ago, the transport museum had a fire and many of the vehicles suffered badly. They have subsequently all been restored again except from the directors tram where the damaged was very badly. It has yet to be restored, but it does have a good solid frame left on it.

The two main problems about restoring the vehicles is that the team of us working there are voluntary, and therefore only work over the weekend period, and there is very little money to buy parts or paint etc. We spend a lot of our time collecting money for the museum, but this seldom brings in more than 5-10 Euros each week.

If you ever visit Howth, then you should really visit the museum. Here you can purchase for €15 a recently released 60 minute DVD of the trams of Howth. It has original footage of the trams running complimented with modern day views of the former trackbed.

From: "Nigel Edwards" <nigel@nigel-edwards.fsnet.co.uk>

I am away in Spain [for the winter] and have just come across your site. I have intimate memories of the Hill of Howth as when I was 14 - 15 I spent hours on the trams whilst on my summer hols from Birmingham. My uncle was the chief engineer [1949-50's] and I knew all the crews so enjoyed free rides. I came across some old negatives of film I took all those years ago! Happy days and memories.

From: "Tom McCauley" <tj@nwdinc.com>

I now live in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho USA but for several years in the 1950's lived on the Hill of Howth. I am not sure of the address but I caught the tram at our back gate and rode it to school.

The property that I lived on with my Mother Noreen O'Reilly and my sister Colleen, stretched from the gate in the back to a small road in the front. It had terrace gardens that traversed from the front of the house to the front gate. There was a small grove of Pine Tree's just inside the gate, With a beautiful view of the Sea, although we were quite high above it. We had a gardener named John who had his own cottage below our house. He took care of the grounds and was a gentle old codger, although he did give my sister cigarettes to smoke. It was one of the most wonderful parts of my life. I have pictures of myself in short pants with galoshes shooting my bow and arrow.

On the weekends we used to take the tram to the top of the hill to a Pub. My Mom did like a Pint or two. My sister is going back this April to see our cousin John Jackson who lives in Dublin. I hope to be able to get back home in the next couple of years, God willing!

Thanks for letting me stroll down memory lane!

From: "Jimmie Lynch" <dalchy@hotmail.co.uk>

My name is Jimmie Lynch and was born and brought up in Dublin and can remember many trips I took on the Howth tram with Ma & Da. I left Dublin many, many years ago and now live in retirement in Scotland. Having lots of time on my hands I decided to write a book about what it was like growing up in Stoneybatter during the 40/50's. The book is not for profit but merely and attempt to leave a footprint on behalf of everyone mentioned in it. Well David here's the tricky bit. I was hoping that you would allow me to include a copy of your 'Picture 8' as shown in your picture gallery. Thank you in anticipation and kind regards. [David Bradley. No problem - Print on the way to you].

From: "Patrick O'Sullivan" <patrick_osullivan@hotmail.co.uk>

I came across you web page "Memories of the Hill of Howth Tramways" I hope that you have had some success with your search. There are two books by James Kilroy about the Dublin Tramways, and the Hill of Howth. Also Flewett did a book on the Hill of Howth Tramways. Have you got these books, and if not I will send you full details of them when I get back home at the end of next week, or early the week after.

I am trying to find photographs of Car No.11 the works car on The Hill of Howth Tramway.

From: "Terry Cooper" <terry_cooper@btconnect.com>

I've just returned from Howth, after walking the remains of the line from the Summit to Howth and looking at the rest from the top of a bus. Your site mentions that the track was doubled throughout, but it was actually single-track with loops, and an interesting bit of transfer track onto the Great Northern Railway at Sutton so that trams could be towed away for overhaul, etc.

Click on the red square for a Howth track map. I have hatched the Dublin United route to differentiate it. The route from the Summit to Howth Station is now a public path, though the excellent views available when you visited are now sadly overgrown. Most of the rest of the line seems to have been absorbed into roads, but - as in Wellesley Road - the site of several passing loops is still noticeable.The bridge stone abutments at the station remain, either side of the road, and the signal box that John Gilham marks still stands, though out of use.

Tram 9 seems no nearer finishing than it does in your photo - it has no undergear, but the motors have been rebuilt, apparently. The card is from a web site, but there is a pub in Howth which has a splendid collection of framed prints.