Sean Browne is Ms. Dooley’s relation. He has an amazing Railway Museum, near Castlerea in Co. Roscommon.
The piece below is taken from his website. If you would like to see more or arrange a visit please click on www.hellskitchenmuseum.com
Hells Kitchen Bar is home to The Castlerea Railway Museum which has the largest private collection of Rail Memorabilia in Ireland.
Since his childhood days Sean has been a railway enthusiast. His interest began as a youngster when he travelled around with his uncle, the late John Joe Quinn. Having a sister in the Ban Garda meant making trips to Dublin. Sean would gaze out the window at Mullingar, feasting his eyes on the hundreds of steam engines ready for the scrap heap and dreamed one day of owning his own train. His life took another direction and he is now proprietor of Hell’s Kitchen public House in Castlerea.
We emailed questions to Sean about his museum and we thought that you might like to read it.
Dear Sean,
This is the students from 2nd, 3rd and 4th class in St. Augustine’s National School, Clontuskert, just outside Ballinasloe. This morning we have taken a look at your great website for your museum.
Ms. Dooley, who teaches in our school told us all about you! As you know we are doing the Keep on Track Project this year. We are in charge of Ballinasloe Train Station. We have visited the station and we have looked at trains in every subject in school.
We are really interested in all of your trains. We have a couple of questions that we would love for you to answer!
1. How did you get the train into your bar?
2. Do you have any photographs that you could share with us of your train being put in the bar?
3. Have you travelled on many trains?
4. Have you ever travelled on trains in other countries?
5. What is your favourite old train and your favourite modern train?
6. What interesting displays have you got in your museum that you would like to tell us about?
7. Have you got any new displays this year?
8. What was the most expensive item you have purchased for the museum?
9. What is your favourite item in the museum?
10. Do you have any photographs of trains in Ballinasloe?
11. Would you know any interesting stories about Ballinasloe Train Station?
Looking forward to hearing from you!
All of the students from 2nd, 3rd and 4th class in St. Augustine’s National School, Clontuskert
These are the answers we received from Sean to our email!
1. How did you get the train into your bar?The Train I purchased from Irish Rail for the scrap value of £1600. I got the Train into the Bar by crane, and it was delivered by Low Loader from Dublin.
2. Do you have any photographs that you could share with us of your train being put in the bar?No problem I will send you these under separate cover.
3. Have you travelled on many trains?I have, and at one time I got a special footplate pass that allowed me to travel on the footplate with the driver, this I really enjoyed.
4. Have you ever travelled on trains in other countries?
In England Spain, and the USA. My special interest is here is the Irish system.
5. What is your favourite old train and your favourite modern train?My favourite old train was the steam engine, and my favourite modern train is the one I have in the Railway Museum A55 Diesel Electric Locomotive.
6. What interesting displays have you got in your museum that you would like to tell us about?The most interesting display is of staffs from all parts of the country, these are of special interest to Railway buffs like me because they were used on the train every journey the train had in a section. I have ones from Ballinasloe as well. These went out of use in 2003, between Ballinasloe and Galway.
7. Have you got any new displays this year?I try to display something new every year, especially if I come across anything new. This year I have a display of rail crashes during the troubles in Ireland.
8. What was the most expensive item you have purchased for the museum?The Collection of Photographs rare €3000 for the lot, this will not happen again it is a disease.
9. What is your favourite item in the museum?The Staff from Athboy to Kilmessan; this is the most rare item I have, and a collection from Farrenfore to Valentia in Co. Kerry.
10. Do you have any photographs of trains in Ballinasloe?These I will look up and send to you under separate cover.
11. Would you know any interesting stories about Ballinasloe Train Station?
The footbridge in Ballinasloe appeared in the film the Quiet Man because it was in Ballinglunin then, and was taken out and installed in Ballinasloe.
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