This sortable table lists railway accidents in the Republic of Ireland , and before its formation accidents in the provinces of Leinster, Munster and Connacht, plus the counties of Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan. It is currently limited to accidents where at least one train occupant was killed. It does not include acts of terror, nor accidents in Northern Ireland.
The 'TRA link' column gives a link to the accident's page on The Railways Archive web site, though some may not yet be fully detailed.
| Date | Fatalities | Passenger fatalities | Injuries | Location | Description | TRA link | Company |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 December 1852 | 1 | 0 | ? | Bansha, County Tipperary | Passenger train derailed on poor track [1] | W&L | |
| 5 October 1853 | 16 | 15 | 8 | Straffan, County Kildare | 1853 Straffan rail accident: Freight train hit rear of broken-down passenger train | GS&W | |
| 31 December 1853 | 2 | 0 | 6 | Between Clonmel and Kilsheelan, County Tipperary | Derailment of passenger train [2] | W&L | |
| 20 October 1855 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Near Mallow, County Cork | Freight train broke into three portions; two collided, killing pig drover travelling as a passenger [3] | GS&W | |
| 19 November 1856 | 5 | 0 | ? | Dunkitt, County Kilkenny | Passenger train misrouted into sidings & hit ballast train [4] | W&K | |
| 9 October 1857 | 1 | 0 | ? | Carrigans, County Donegal | Mail train hit cow and derailed [5] | L&E | |
| 29 October 1864 | 2 | 2 | 34 | Ballinasloe, County Galway | Passenger train derailed due to excess speed on poor track [6] | MGW | |
| 9 August 1867 | 2 | 2 | 25 | Bray Head, County Wicklow | Sudden subsidence resulted in collapse at the Brandy Hole Viaduct; passenger train derailed | DWW | |
| 26 September 1874 | 1 | 1 | 28 | Dundalk, County Louth | Collision on flat crossing [5] | DBJ, INW | |
| 21 August 1875 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Longpavement, County Limerick | Tyre of locomotive wheel broke, causing derailment of mixed train [7] | W&L | |
| 30 October 1875 | 1 | 1 | 7 | Castlebar, County Mayo | Empty cattle train struck rear of mixed train [8] | MGW | |
| 4 July 1877 | 1 | 1 | 7 | Dalkey, County Dublin | Passenger train derailed on unlocked facing points [9] | DWW | |
| 27 February 1878 | 1 | 1 | 16 | Glenageary, County Dublin | Wagons broke away from freight train and struck passenger train [10] | DWW | |
| 8 September 1878 | 5 | 3 | 70 | Curraheen, near Ballincollig, County Cork | Derailment of passenger train on poor track [11] | C&MD | |
| 12 November 1879 | 1 | 0 | ? | Ballyhaise (then called Belturbet Junction), County Cavan | Mixed and cattle trains collided [5] | GN | |
| 7 July 1887 | 1 | 0 | 3 | Bantry, County Cork | Runaway train struck buffers [12] | CBSC | |
| 22 May 1893 | 3 | 0 | 13 | Curraduff, County Kerry | Runaway train crashed over bridge into river | T&D | |
| 6 August 1895 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Between Avoca and Rathdrum, County Wicklow | Head-on collision of freight train and empty passenger train [13] | DWW | |
| 24 November 1898 | 1 | 1 | ? | Lispole, County Kerry | Part of passenger train overturned by wind [14] | T&D | |
| 24 April 1901 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Tralee, County Kerry | Runaway freight train crashed through buffers [15] | GS&W | |
| 11 April 1903 | 1 | 1 | 15 | Between Ballymoe, County Galway, and Castlerea, County Roscommon | Passenger train struck axle from platelayer's trolley and derailed [16] | MGW | |
| 8 September 1907 | 1 | 0 | 7 | Kilrane, near Rosslare Harbour, County Wexford | Locomotive collided with passenger train | GS&W | |
| 13 March 1908 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Maynooth, County Kildare | Mail train struck wagon standing foul of line | MGW | |
| 19 January 1910 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Felthouse Junction, County Wexford | Derailment of freight train | GS&W | |
| 6 August 1910 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Dundalk, County Louth | Passenger train collided with wagons [5] | GN | |
| 5 August 1912 | 1 | 1 | 96 | Lombardstown, County Cork | Passenger train derailed; excess speed on poor track [17] | GS&W | |
| 8 January 1914 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Birdhill, County Tipperary | Locomotive of mixed train derailed and overturned [18] | GS&W | |
| 28 January 1915 | 2 | 2 | 6 | Kinsale, County Cork | Runaway freight train collided with stationary mixed train [12] | CBSC | |
| 19 December 1916 | 6 | 0 | 10 | Kiltimagh, County Mayo | Head-on collision after ballast train passed signal at danger [19] | GS&W | |
| 5 August 1921 | 1 | 0 | 5 | Enniscorthy Tunnel, County Wexford | Collision between locomotive and permanent way trolley [13] | D&SE | |
| 30 January 1925 | 4 | 4 | 9 | Owencarrow, County Donegal | Owencarrow Viaduct Disaster—part of passenger train overturned by wind while crossing viaduct | L&LS | |
| 11 November 1941 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Farranfore, County Kerry | Bridge washed away by flood; freight train derailed [20] | GS | |
| 20 December 1944 | 1 | 0 | ? | Straboe, near Portlaoise, County Laois | Mail train passed signal at danger and hit failed cattle train [21] | GS | |
| 29 August 1949 | 3 | 2 | ? | Donegal, County Donegal | Passenger train left station without train staff and collided head-on with freight train [22] | CDRJC | |
| 21 December 1955 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Cahir, County Tipperary | Runaway freight train derailed and fell through bridge [23] | CIÉ | |
| 23 December 1957 | 1 | 0 | 4 | Dundrum, County Dublin | Passenger train, delayed by cow on line, was struck from behind by second passenger train mistakenly signalled into section [24] | CIÉ | |
| 21 October 1974 | 2 | 2 | 29 | Gormanston, County Meath | Runaway empty passenger train collided with second empty train, which struck passenger train | CIÉ | |
| 31 December 1975 | 5 | 4 | 30 | nr Gorey, County Wexford | Train derailed from bridge damaged by road vehicle [25] | CIÉ | |
| 1 August 1980 | 18 | 16 | 75 | Buttevant, County Cork | Buttevant Rail Disaster: Express sent into sidings as points not interlocked | CIÉ | |
| 21 August 1983 | 7 | 7 | 55 | Cherryville Junction, County Kildare | Collision into rear of broken-down train [25] | CIÉ | |
| 24 September 1989 | ? | ? | 70 | Claremorris, County Mayo | Collided with cattle on the line | CIÉ | |
| 30 September 1991 | 1 | 1 | ? | Ballycumber, County Offaly | Derailment of passenger train [26] | IÉ |
The Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland from 1844 until 1924. The GS&WR grew by building lines and making a series of takeovers, until in the late 19th and early 20th centuries it was the largest of Ireland's "Big Four" railway networks. At its peak the GS&WR had an 1,100-mile (1,800 km) network, of which 240 miles (390 km) were double track.
Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway (CB&SCR), was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland. It opened in 1849 as the Cork and Bandon Railway (C&BR), changed its name to Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway in 1888 and became part of the Great Southern Railway (GSR) in 1924.
The Dublin and South Eastern Railway (DSER), often referred to as the Slow and Easy, was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland from 1846 to 1925. It carried 4,626,226 passengers in 1911. It was the fourth largest railway operation in Ireland operating a main line from Dublin to Wexford, with branch lines to Shillelagh and Waterford. The company previously traded under the names Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow & Dublin Railway to 1848, Dublin and Wicklow Raillway (D&WR) to 1860 and Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR) until 1906.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) was the third largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland. It was incorporated in 1845 and absorbed into the Great Southern Railways in 1924. At its peak the MGWR had a network of 538 miles (866 km), making it Ireland's third largest network after the Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) and the Great Northern Railway of Ireland.
This is a bibliography for the history of rail transport in Ireland.
Mullingar railway station serves the town of Mullingar in County Westmeath, Ireland; it is situated 50 miles 17 chains (80.8 km) from Dublin, and 84 miles (135 km) from Sligo. Mullingar station is served by national rail company Iarnród Éireann's Dublin to Longford Commuter service and Dublin to Sligo InterCity service.
Boyle railway station serves the town of Boyle in County Roscommon, Ireland.
The CBSCR Bandon Tanks were a class of 4-6-0T mixed-traffic locomotives built for the Cork, Bandon & South Coast Railway (CB&SCR) between 1906 and 1920. The Bandon Tanks were the only 4–6–0 tank locomotives to be built by Beyer, Peacock & Company. The class went on to serve with the CB&SCR's successors: the Great Southern Railways from 1925 and CIÉ from 1945.
Ballysodare railway station, currently with only the goods shed remaining, was located on the Dublin-Sligo railway line in Ballysadare, County Sligo. The station opened on 3 December 1862. It was closed to passengers on 17 June 1963 and finally closing to goods on 3 November 1975.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) C Class was a class of 4-4-0 locomotives designed and built at Broadstone by Edward Cusack between 1909 and 1915 using parts obtained from Kitson and Company. They replaced the earlier 7-12 class. The class survived through the Great Southern Railways (GSR) era from 1925-1944 and were withdrawn in the 1950s under Córas Iompair Éireann.
North Wall was one of Dublin's six original rail termini, the others being Westland Row, Amiens Street, Kingsbridge, Broadstone and Harcourt Street.
Martin Atock, also formerly known as Martin Attock, was an English railway engineer, who is best known as the Locomotive Superintendent of the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) from 1872 to 1900.
Broadstone railway works or simply Broadstone or the Broadstone was the headquarters for mechanical engineering and rolling stock maintenance for Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR). The complex grew around the Dublin Broadstone railway terminus.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) A Class, later Inchicore Class D5, consisted of 6 4-4-0 express passenger locomotives built at Broadstone Works in the period 1902-1905. The largest express passenger locomotive in Ireland for a short while after introduction they were used on the MGWR's flagship services to Galway with most surviving until the 1950s albeit on less prestigious work.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) B Class 0-6-0 was a class of 4 locomotives built at North British Locomotive Company in 1904. In 1925 they were allocated Great Southern Railways (GSR) Class 646 / Inchicore Class J2.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) Class P were an 0-6-0T tank locomotive designed by Martin Atock introduced in 1881 designed for shunting and banking round North Wall freight yard. After 1925 they became Great Southern Railways (GSR) class 614 / Inchicore class J10.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) Class H were an 0-6-0 locomotive bought in 1880 from Avonside Engine Company. After 1925 they became Great Southern Railways (GSR) class 619 / Inchicore class J6.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) Class 9 consisted of four engines built by Thomas Grendon and Company of Drogheda in the period 1855-1856.
Sir Ralph Smith Cusack was chairman of the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) of Ireland for forty years from 1865 to 1905.
The Cork & Bandon 0-6-0 Beyer saddle tank was a class of five six-coupled locomotives supplied to the Cork and Bandon Railway (C&BR) between 1881 and 1894 by Beyer, Peacock & Company. They were, for a short while on introduction, to be the railway's principle motive power.