The Lady Belle |
[Extract from the Waterford
News, 22 September 1922.]
Travelling to and from
Dungarvan is now carried on with considerable difficulty and increased expense.
There is no regular service. Before the unfortunate war we had a train
service that was delightful. There were
at least eight trains passing each way during the day...Now with the big breach
at Ballyvoyle, probably a railway service will not be resumed for two or three
years. It does appear silly, to say the
least of it, that this beautiful country should be in the plight it is from the
action of her own children. Time was,
and not so long ago, if one had business through the streets at night there was
free and unlimited passage for all, but now the dread of shooting and the
challenge of the sentries are deterrents, and one would much rather avoid them.
Another instance is the absence of
commercial travellers. If one does come,
it is a rarity.
When the stoppage to
traffic began a few carters turned up and solicited orders to carry goods from
Waterford. They did their business all
right, but a few seizers of goods on the route completely put the carters out
of court. A want in this respect has
been supplied by the steamer Cargan, which now makes regular trips to Dublin;
and comes back laden with all kinds of commodities, and the manager of the firm
[K.Williams & Co.] Mr John Christopher is most courteous and attentive…Some
cargoes of about 200 tons each have arrived consisting of all kinds of things,
eatables, and a plentiful supply of Guinness stout. Other boats which have done good service,
Captain P. Curran, harbour master, runs a boat frequently to Waterford. She is well- managed, punctual, and carries a
good load and supplies a great want to the business community. Mr R. H. Keane [Cappoquin] also runs a
motorboat to Cork and Waterford, so that all needs are met with satisfactorily.
The Cargan |