Peace Train Organisation

The Peace Train Organisation was a campaign group set up in 1989 in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in response to the repeated bombing of the Dublin to Belfast railway line (see Enterprise (train)) by the Provisional IRA.

The founding Chairman of the Peace Train Organisation was the writer and broadcaster Sam McAughtry while the organisation in the Republic of Ireland was headed up by Chris Hudson MBE. Other key figures in the organisation south of the border were the MEP Proinsias De Rossa, Tom French (politician) and southern secretary Seán Ó Cionnaith

The organisation organised a Peace Train from Dublin to Belfast - an actual train hired out for the day which brought hundreds of people across the border from all over Ireland as a symbolic gesture to protest the bombing of the railway line. The group marched to Belfast City Hall where an open-air rally was held, supported by hundreds of activists and trade unionists. The event was not without incident however as a window was broken by a stone-throwing youth and the train was held up by another bomb scare on the line.

A number of further Peace Train events were held, including a large rally at Oriel Park football ground in Dundalk, Co. Louth.

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/06/99/queens_birthday_honours/367006.stm|Chris Hudson awarded MBE for services to Peace Train Organisation]