Portadown Armagh Railway Society

Public benefits

Aim 1: To advance the education of the public in the history and development of railways in the Portadown and Armagh area. PARS brings together people in the Portadown and Armagh Area to examine and learn the history of the railway service to the area, the story of those who worked on the railways, the impact of railways on the social and economic

life of the area, how the railways connected Armagh and Portadown to the rest of Ireland and the world. PARS also examines the benefits of rail transport to the current social and economic wellbeing of the area and how this can be developed and enhanced. These develop an understanding of the historical and current benefits of rail service to the area. The potential of extended rail provision to the area by for example the re-opening of the line from Portadown to Armagh. Aim 2 : To collect and preserve railway artifacts and heritage to the benefit of the local community PARS aims to collect and preserve railway artifacts and heritage so that these are preserved and kept for use in the education and development of knowledge of the history of the railway service in the Portadown and Armagh area in order to make people more aware of such items . For example in the last year PARS initiated and worked with the Armagh Council on the provision of a monument on the Mall to commemorate the 89 people from Armagh who lost their lives in the 1889 Armagh Railway Disaster. This is the first time there has been a public monument to this important event, which had public safety implications across the world. People are now more aware of the safety implications. Aim3 : To bring together current & former railway personnel and those interested in railways to develop a community of interest PARS brings together those who have worked and still work on the railway along with those interested in railways to develop a community of interest in the Portadown Armagh area. This brings together the knowledge experience and skills of those interested in railways in the area so that they can work together to develop the aims of PARS. The society is able to work with other groups with similar interest. Thus this enhances Aims 1 & 2. These benefits are (will be) demonstrated through, the holding of meetings to discuss the benefits of rail travel, the story of railways in the Portadown Armagh area. Working with other groups who have similar interests and objectives. Working with the railway companies, Councils, Museums and other bodies to further our aims. Promoting rail travel and rail service for Armagh to the public. We will collect artefacts so that they can be put on public display, we will through public displays meetings notice boards and social media develop and provide information about the history of railways and their impact on the Armagh Portadown Area. Through meetings and events we will bring together former railway personnel and those interested in railways. From the knowledge and expertise we will help promote the aims of PARS. We cannot identify any harm that the can arise from the the purposes of the charity The charity’s beneficiaries are those interested in railways and their benefits past present and future. Those who live in the Armagh Portadown area. We cannot identify any private benefit following from the purposes of the charity.

What your organisation does

PARS Holds public meetings on the history of Railways in the Armagh Portadown Area Works with other interested groups and bodies to develop and preserve aritfacts and heritage of railways in the Portadown Armagh area Promotes the benefit of railway public transport in the Portadown Armagh Area