Tuam Herald 28th September, 1839 p.2
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(excerpt of letter from Mr T. Bermingham to “To the Guardians of the unions of Loughres, Gort, Ballinasloe and Tuam, especially – and to the inhabitants of the County Galway in General.”)
I have lately examined the southern coast of the Bay of Galway, and from the trade at present existing at Kinvarra and the New Quay, I have no hesitation in recommending the building there of two good piers, to protect the boats engaged in the fishery and seaweed trade, and as asylums for vessels of moderate burden, to encourage still further their spirited trade in corn, with a view of being a proper point of communication with the town of Galway by means of a steam tug – a plan which has been long agitated by the inhabitants of Galway. Tram roads for horse power are perhaps more adapted to the present trade of this county than more expensive railways for locomotive power.
With the experience that I have had in constructing a short line of railroad on cut bog, the property of Lord Clonbrock in this county, I can almost confidently state that a double line of rails of dimensions adapted to the present trade, can be constructed for three thousand pounds per statute mile – upon which one horse can draw a load weighing ten tons upon the level. Of course it would be necessary to have relays of horses to assist at some of the elevations – which upon the route that I propose to take, would be but few.
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