Obituaries171

Irish Railway Record Society

JOURNAL 171 OBITUARY

PADRAIG O CUIMIN

The SOCIETY has lost a long term friend in the death of Padraig 0 Cuimin in July last. Born Patrick Cummins in Croydon in 1933, Padraig was an only child. Both his parents were from Sheffield. On the outbreak of war, he was evacuated to live with his grandparents in Staithes, a coastal village north of Whitby. It was here where he first encountered the Irish language, which was still remembered by some of his extended family relations who were of Irish extraction. Returning to London after the war, his continued schooling included summer trips to the Irish College in Spiddal where he first met his future wife Phil, a native Irish speaker.

Padraig studied architecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic and found initial employment with Patrick Campbell in Dublin, followed by a period in Newry. After a diversity of experience with various firms in Ireland and Britain, in 1979, he took up the position of head architect with CIÉ, based at Westland Row. He was just in time to oversee the completion of the DART electrification works. Although his input to this project was modest, he did however put the finishing details to the building at Bayside station, as well as designing new distance posts, although these were not installed.

Leaving CIÉ, Padraig decided to move permanently to Galway and in 1983, he set up his own practice in Loughrea, his office being a purpose built block in the grounds of his home in Craughwell.

Taking an interest in railway matters, Padraig joined the IRRS and acted as Honorary Secretary in 1965. He did not have the time to continue with that position, but acted as the SOCIETY architect and kept a watch on the conversion of the disused Drumcondra station into SOCIETY premises. In 1975, to celebrate European Architectural Year, he prepared a major exhibition which toured the country. When this exhibit was due to be transferred from Cork to Limerick, Padraig and the writer travelled to Limerick Junction to ensure the safe transfer of the heavy boards from the Up train to the Limerick connection. Staff at Glanmire Road were asked to ensure the load was put in the front van, but somehow the rear brake was used. A large four-wheeled luggage truck was requisitioned, and the panels had to be manoeuvred with difficulty the whole length of the very long platform. Padraig also undertook an architectural survey of all the stations from Hazlehatch to Tullow. He took a particular interest in MGWR carriage and wagon stock and his papers appeared in the Journal. He produced a short series of 7mm scale drawings of selected MGWR locomotive, carriage and wagon stock. His name appeared on the cover of a book on the Loughrea and Ballinrobe branches. His last paper read to the SOCIETY was on the early history of the Clifden branch; on the appointed day, he left the paper on his hall table so that he would not travel to Dublin without it but arrived at Heuston to find the documents were still safe and secure in Craughwell! Nonetheless the paper was delivered in Padraig's usual calm manner.

Those of us who were young during Padraig’s time in Dublin will recall his infectious smile, his encouraging personality, and the always warm welcome from Padraig and his wife Phil at their city centre home in Clare Street.

Padraig is survived by Phil, daughters Dora, Sorcha and Sibéal, and five grandchildren, to whom our sympathies go. He was pre-deceased by his infant son James. HR