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A memorial will be held later this month to remember the five men killed in a railway tragedy in Omagh 75 years ago.
Although the railway line in Omagh has long since disappeared beneath the tarmac of the Great Northern Road, the memory of what happened on November 24, 1950 remains.
On that day, five railway workers, John Cassidy, John Cleary, John McCrory, Dan McCrory, and Charles Flanagan, were carrying out maintenance on the line.
All five were permanent way men, responsible for maintaining the tracks.
They were struck and killed by a passenger train they did not see or hear in time, due to heavy fog and the noise from another train sitting in the station.
Between them, they left 19 children without a father.
Ahead of the anniversary, improvements at the memorial site are being carried out.
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland has supplied and installed a six-metre section of the famous ‘Derry Road’ railway line that once connected Derry to Portadown.
This authentic section features original Great Northern Railway (Ireland) sleepers and track chairs and serves as a lasting tribute and physical link to the town’s railway heritage.
Additional works include the installation of interpretive panels developed by the local community. These will tell the story of the tragedy, the lives lost and the history of the railway in Omagh.
The memorial event will be held at the site of the tragedy on Monday, November 24.
Linked with the anniversary, a talk will take place at the Strule Arts Centre, Omagh, on Thursday, November 20 at 7pm.
Tony McGartland, local author of Omagh Railway Station: A Journey Through Time, will explore the history of the railway in Omagh, the role it played in the town’s development and the impact of the 1950 tragedy.
Speaking ahead of the event, Cllr Barry McElduff said: “As we approach this poignant anniversary, it is important that we take time to reflect on the lives lost and the impact felt by their families and the wider community.
“The Council is honoured to support this community-led commemoration, the site improvements, and the ongoing efforts to ensure that the story of this rail tragedy is fittingly remembered.
“We are also very grateful to the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (Whitehead) for providing and installing this authentic section of track, a lasting link with the railways and the railway workers it commemorates. I also deeply appreciate the input of those railway enthusiasts from Omagh who have worked so hard on this project also.”
