Irish Railways: Asahi Coal & Oil - June 1985

By 1977, the Asahi plant in Killala Co.Mayo was in full production producing synthetic fibres, the plant working around the clock, seven days a week. The spinoff for the community was massive, with over IR£10 million a year being pumped into the local economy. The Asahi chemical trains trundled across the country to Ballina station, further enhancing the level of economic activity.

In June 1985, Asahi and CIE introduced a weekly 400 ton “coal and oil” liner from Foynes Port to Balljna to supply fuel for the plant at Killala. In the previous years following the plant’s opening the coal and oil was supplied by CIE on the nightly liners from North Wall Port in Dublin. This footage captures the first ‘empties’ returning to Foynes Port to return laden early the following week.

This weekly “coal and oil” liner continued to be routed from Limerick via Athenry and Tuam until May 1991 when it was rerouted via Portarlington and Athlone as the railway via Tuam was no longer available for traffic.

However, the train rerouted again via Tuam in September 1994 following the reopening of the route as part of the Western Freight Corridor.

In the mid 1980s, the giant Japanese synthetic factory used the railways consistently to transport up to 5000 tons of freight each week.

The plant closed in 1997, resulting in 315 job losses and leaving a significant industrial site vacant. The last empty coal & oil train departed from Mayo for Limerick in November 1997 bringing to an end the weekly “coal and oil” liner from Foynes Port to Ballina.


A similar scene from May 1991

   • Irish Railways: 017 Ballyglunin & Tuam - 1991  

A similar scene from September 1986

   • Irish Railways: 039 Asahi Coal and Oil 1986