Transcript of Newspaper Report on The Ports and Harbours Tribunal in Killybegs, provided here for local history researchers
Published on the 21st October 1926
Why Killybegs Port Failed, Traders’ Case Before Tribunal, Railway Promises Concessions
From our Special Correspondent
The Ports and Harbours Tribunal sat in the Marine Industrial School here to-day, and took evidence as to the condition of the land-locked harbour at Killybegs, which, during the war, was an important base for British submarines and “mystery” boats.
Canon Sweeny, parish priest, Chairman of the Harbour Board, welcomed the Tribunal, and expressed the hope that something practical would result from the inquiry for the benefit of the sea-faring people of the district.
Mr. McMullan, solicitor, representing the Local Centre for the Development of Direct Shipping, expressed the satisfaction felt in Killybegs and all over South Donegal that the Government had taken a practical step to see what could be done for shipping in that part of the Free State.
Several witnesses complained that the Donegal Railway Company had given preferential rates to Derry, and that these rates had destroyed the Killybegs port’s trade. In reply to the Chairman, however, Mr. Henry Forbes, manager of the railway company, undertook to publish and out in force at Killybegs rates on the same proportionate scale as those from Derry.
Problem of Repairs
Mr. John Mulreany, Secretary of the Harbour Commissioners, gave evidence as to the constitution of the port authority, the members of which gave close attention to the business of the harbour. The pier, he said, was in need of repair. A Government inspector, who came down for the purpose, estimated the cost of repairs at £4,500, but he never examined the pier. The existing wooden pier should never have been put there; for from the start it was costing money for repairs. This week a light lorry went through it.
The rates for incoming goods had not been increased since the harbour was established in 1896. The statutory maximum for coal was tenpence per ton but the actual charge was three halfpence. There was no export trade. Continuing, the witness said that no vessels came into Killybegs. “We never see a mast now. Formerly the boats used to come in with flour and meal, but all that now comes from Derry by rail.” At one time Killybegs was a pretty good fishing port but that was stopped. Once two local boats fished from the port, one of them a steam drifter. The business was not pursued to its best and the boats were taken from the fishermen who had not paid the purchase installments to the government.
The Chairman – Do you know of any factor that is operating against this port as a place of trade?
Witness – The reason is that everything that is used here is brought by rail from Derry quays. For years we did a big trade with Sligo, carried on by sailing smacks, but that is dead. The harbour is good enough for any vessel to enter.
Alleged Preferential Charges
Mr. Charles Rogers, General Merchant, gave evidence as to what he described as the preferential charges made against Killybegs by the Donegal Railway Company. Coal landed at Killybegs and sent by rail nineteen miles to Donegal town was charged 6s. 11d. a ton. The charge from Derry to Donegal, forty-five miles, was 7s. a ton. If the railway rates out from Killybegs to other stations was fixed at the same scale as from Derry to those stations there would be a development of shipping in and out of Killybegs.
Mr. McMullan said that in the “Shipping World Year Book” Killybegs was described as a safe harbour, capable of taking in twelve thousand tons. It never happened that a vessel, no matter how large, could not get to the pier and carry out its purpose. Ships up to a man-of-war size could enter the harbour at all states of the weather and tide. Before the extension railway was opened the whole of South Donegal and a large portion of West Donegal had to depend on Killybegs for supplies. From the moment the railway was taken over by the present “combine” the shipping of Killybegs declined and the finest of the small Irish harbours was left virtually derelict. Killybegs could be developed into a great fishing port. To accomplish that, the operations of the trawlers would have to be stopped.
As a result of the coal strike the trawlers were not coming in to the same extent this season, and in consequence the herring fishing for the last two months had been the best for many years at Downings, Burtonport and St. John’s Point. The decay of fishing in Donegal was brought about not by lack of equipment, but by the destruction wrought by the trawlers. The greatest requirement for the development of the port was control of the railway rates outwards. They did not ask for any preferential treatment, but they wanted the same rates as were given by the railway to other ports, especially Derry.
The Chairman – Your case is that what is wanted for this port is trade, and that you can get that trade if there is a revision of the existing railway rates on goods landed here and distributed from Killybegs?
Trade in Butter and Eggs
Mr. McMullan – That is precisely the position. Continuing, Mr. McMullan said that they could develop an export trade in butter, eggs and fruit, all of which are now shipped out of Derry. Close to Killybegs Messrs Morton, the Scottish jam manufacturers, had planted large areas with fruit trees, and immense quantities of all sorts of fruit were despatched to Scotland in the course of the year.
Mr. Patrick O’Byrne, flour importing agent, stated that three cross-Channel firms used to send all their flour by sea to Killybegs until the railway company secured the trade, amounting to about one hundred and fifty tons a month. The flour was kept in the wagons until it was required, and the railway company charged no storage thereon.
Mr. W.J. Molloy, fish exporter, gave evidence to the effect that the port could be made a principal centre for the Scotch-cured herring industry if there was shipping to take the fish to Liverpool. Records showed that Killybegs had been the headquarters for Spanish fishing boats as far back as 1570. The Scotch curers told him that they had to abandon Killybegs because of the exhorbitant railway charges. The rate for twelve-ton lots of cured herrings from Killybegs to Derry was 28s. a ton, whereas the same quantity of salt from Derry to Killybegs was carried for 15s. a ton. If there were direct shipping he could get for 30s. ice which now cost him £3 6s. from Derry or Belfast.
Railway Company’s Case
Mr. Henry Forbes, manager of Donegal Railway, was examined by the Chairman as to the rates on goods in and out of Killybegs. He stated that his company was prepared out to make out a series of rates from Killybegs to any of its stations at the same proportionate rates as those from Derry.
The Chairman – When?
Mr. Forbes – When the trade turns up. There is really no one in Killybegs interested in getting business. There is no merchant in Killybegs doing any business, except as agent for English flour firms.
The Chairman – I cannot agree with you there. We have business men coming here giving evidence that they are willing to invest their money to bring in goods by sea if they get from you an opportunity to distribute them along your railway at reasonable rates. Their complaint is that you will not give them those reasonable rates. You say that you are willing to give them special rates. Will you make out those rates and publish them?
Mr. Forbes – I will do it with pleasure and put them in force at Killybegs Station. We will give Killybegs the same proportionate rate as the special rate from Derry.
The inquiry then concluded.
The Tribunal will sit in Sligo to-morrow.
Colin Brady 