Richhill Train Station
Richhill was an intermediate station, between Portadown and Armagh, on the line from Portadown Jct to Armagh, Monaghan, Clones and Cavan. The Portadown – Armagh section opened in 1848 and closed in 1957 (save for a short stub to the Metal Box factory on the Brownstown Road).
This is Richhill station 24 years after closure and before the restoration begun in 1997.
A Station with a lot of history!
IRA Burns Richhill Station
The operation was entrusted to Charles McGleenhan, a farmer from Blackwatertown and the officer commanding the local IRA unit . He had been involved in IRA activity throughout the rebellion or ‘War of Independence’ and a year earlier had been responsible for the burning of the Blackwatertown police barracks.
At midnight on the 16th March he assembled his men, none of whom knew what was planned. This was a practice McGleenhan “adhered to all through the fight” to ensure the operation could not be betrayed. The group walked ten miles cross-country to the station. On arrival, lookouts were posted on all the approach roads and the stationmaster John Lavery and signalman Frank McKee were seized and bound. An informer in the railway company had reported where a store of paraffin oil could be found and this was used to “give all the stores buildings and the railway wagons on the sidings a liberal doping”. While this was happening, three trains bound for Armagh passed through the station. One of these was a mail train and a bag of post was, as was normal, thrown from a carriage when it passed by. This was seized by one of the attackers and later carried away. The IRA often gained valuable intelligence from stolen official correspondence. However, the railwayman who threw out the mail bag noticed that it was picked up by someone he didn’t recognise. He reported this to the authorities in Armagh when the train reached its destination. They rang Richhill Station but could not get through as the telegraph wires had been cut. By the time the police had reached the station to investigate it was too late, the premises had been burned and were no little more than charred remains . The only building to have survived was the stationmaster’s house.
Fortunately I have been able to personally see first hand the rennovation work, being a family member and wow, this place is incredible, steeped in history.
This and more information is found at richhillhistory.org/timelines
This cache - with full permission of the home owner this cache is placed along the front metal fence at GZ. It should be a quick cache and grab! Take a pic and see how much this old station has changed!
Please sign the log and take care to replace exactly as found.
Happy Hunting !