End of the line - Retirement marks 95 years of Kilkenny family’s link to railways

When Mary Walsh swung open the railway gates at the Grange crossing, near Mooncoin, for the last time it was the end of an era.

Mary was the third generation of her family who had lived and worked at what was once Grange Station, on the Waterford to Limerick line, with a proud history going back to the early 1900s.
With her own children forging their own careers, Mary is also the last of her family to serve the railways.

After almost 44 years of service to Irish Rail, Mary retired earlier this year and is now enjoying a well earned rest from the world of work.

Mary’s not turning her back on the railways, however. Despite retiring from the job that ‘came with the house’ Mary will continue to live in the building where she was born and brought up, with the railway running just feet from her front door and passenger trains passing almost daily.

Surrounded by the history of her home and family, Mary shared the story of her connection to the railways.
Her family’s story spans a time in history from the great age of rail to today, when services are at a low point.

It all began for Mary’s family in 1929 when her grandfather Bill Diggins arrived from Pouldrew Kilmeaden, to work as a halt keeper.
For the first year he cycled to and from work every day, until he was made permanent in the role in 1930, and then moved into the railway cottage with his young family in 1932.
With him was his wife Maggie, a Waterford city lady, and their small children Martin, who would be Mary’s father, and her uncle Lar.
They would go on to raise a family of four in the home, including daughters Alice and Peg, all of whom are hale and hearty except for Martin, who passed away some years ago.

At the time the building was not only a home for the Diggins family but what is now Mary’s sitting room was then a passenger waiting room, station office and ticket desk.
The Waterford and Limerick railway was very busy then. Bill would spend the day in the cabin across the rails from the house, opening and closing the gates to let trains cross the roadway.

Bill retired from the job in 1957. His son Martin was already working as a signalman in Carrick on Suir and he was appointed to take over at Grange.
Like his father before him, Martin moved into the Grange Station House with his family - wife Bridie and children Angela, Patrick (Buddy), Mary, Rose and Martin junior.
Mary was just two years old at the time and could not have known the link she would become in the multi-generation story.
Work life at Grange Station was very different for Bill and Martin compared to the role Mary would later take up. Click NEXT to continue reading.