#43 John McCarron: Donegal Railway History: WWI, Emigration, British Rule & The Canal That Never Was

Ryan sits down with John McCarron, a local historian, artist, and storyteller from Buncrana, Donegal, to explore the fascinating story of the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway — once the lifeline of the northwest.John brings to life the rise and fall of the Donegal railways, from their ambitious beginnings in the 1800s to their quiet disappearance in the 1950s. He traces how the rail lines shaped communities, connected isolated towns, and even carried generations of emigrants on their journeys to new lives abroad.We explore:• The origins of the Lough Swilly line and how it transformed life in Donegal• The golden years of travel, trade, and tourism between Derry and Buncrana• How the partition and the arrival of cars and lorries led to the railway’s decline• The folklore of the “Ghost Train” and other local legends• The rebirth of the railway’s spirit through the modern Inishowen Greenway Project• John’s personal mission to preserve local heritage through storytelling and public artThis episode is more than a journey through railway history — it’s a love letter to Donegal’s past, a reminder of how deeply our landscapes are tied to memory, movement, and meaning.