“The 5 Minute Bell” – Frank O’Donoghue

“The 5 Minute Bell” by Frank
O’Donoghue – an historical account of the Waterford to Tramore Railway…..

August 21st, 2013….
As part of National Heritage Week, Frank O’Donoghue delivered an illustrated talk on the history of the Tramore train which was part of our built heritage which was so cruelly and unnecessarily taken from us on 31 December 1960.  This event was held at the Ardkeen branch of Waterford City Library and was well attended with plenty of interaction.  Frank’s book “The 5-Minute Bell” can be purchased at various outlets in and around Waterford, as well as on line.

A second edition of the book was published in June 2013 has now been published and is available for purchase.  This was to meet requests from those who missed getting it first time round. It contains some additional material kindly supplied by people whose memories of the train were jogged, having read the first edition.
Never has there been a full history written of the famous Waterford to Tramore train – until now. At last we have a comprehensive account of this unique railway that operated for 107 years until its sad closure on New Year’s Eve 1960.
This is more than an account of the comings and goings of Ireland’s only railway that was physically unconnected to the rest of the network. For many, it presents a trip down memory lane when life was lived at a more sedate pace, when motor cars were fewer, TV was snowy (at best) and there were no supermarkets, internet, mobile phones or Visa cards.
Between the book’s covers are numerous personal accounts by frequent passengers and former employees, crowded with photographs, paintings and drawings. It is a book that will be popular for many generations….

I have had the pleasure of the genial Frank O’Donoghue’s company on a number of occasions & without doubt the man is larger than life.I met him on Christmas Eve just gone,when he was in transit from Co.Waterford to spend the festive season with his son in Co.Cork,he wanted to give me a signed copy of his second book “Goin’ To The Pictures”which I will treasure always….NB.The artwork is by Frank’s daughter Shirley.

Goin’To The Pictures, Frank O’Donoghue

The Horgan brothers – James, Phil and Tom – born in Youghal in the 1870/80s certainly were Irish film pioneers.  Although their father was a big strapping man who made thigh boots for the British cavalry regiments, he died around 1887 at a young age, leaving his family penniless except for one payment due for the last pair of boots.  This sovereign was enough for their mother, who was a most remarkable woman of Huguenot stock, to get the three of them apprenticeships with De La Coeur & Co, boot makers in Youghal.  When they came out of their indentures, they set up as boot makers and also developed their other talents as musicians, artists and inventors and later in photography and filming.  It is said that when people knocked on the door of their shop, Mrs Horgan would come out and ask the caller if he/she wanted to see Mr Horgan, the boot maker, or Mr Horgan, the photographer.  Depending on the answer, one of the Horgans would come out with a brown coat (boot maker) or white coat (photographer)

They became interested in the work of the French Lumiere brothers who developed the cinematograph for the projection of motion pictures.  James was producing still photographs at the age of 16 and the brothers were selling picture postcards, as well as showing pictures with their magic lantern around east Cork and west Waterford.  This involved carrying a vast array of equipment on their bicycles going from venue to venue.

Because he couldn’t afford a camera, Jim converted a projector into a camera that could also develop the picture.  This was the original instant movie camera and was a highly significant invention.  The only problem was that it used two chemicals, whereas three chemicals were needed for colour which was yet to come.

They then went around recording various local activities on the basis that people enjoy seeing themselves on the screen.  They even photographed King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra when the royal couple visited Lismore Castle in 1903 and nearly got into trouble with the police, who had never seen such a camera which was encased in a cloth black hood to facilitating the developing, and who thought it might be a lethal weapon.  THE GUINNESS BOOK OF MOVIE FACTS & FEATS lists the first ever feature film produced in Ireland as “Visit of King Edward VII to Lismore Castle 2 May 1904, filmed by Thos. Horgan of Youghal.”