History of Longford Fire Service

Early history of Irish fire service

At the start of 1940, the number of mobile fire appliances in Ireland was only 24. With war having broken out in the rest of Europe and the possibility of action occurring in Ireland, an urgent improvement in the firefighting capability became apparent.

The Fire Brigades Act of 1940 came out of this and is the basis for the first countrywide firefighting system. Urban and rural authorities were now required to make provisions for the effective and prompt extinguishment of fires and the rescue of persons along with the recovery of property from fire. 

Early history of Longford Fire Service

In August 1946, proposals for a firefighting scheme for County Longford were unanimously approved by Longford County Council. The service would consist of a firefighting unit based in Longford, with sub-units in Ballymahon, Drumlish, Edgeworthstown, Granard and Lanesborough. As reported in the paper at the time, "This is the first time that Longford has been provided for fire fighting services beyond antiquated methods."

According to historical Longford County Council Manager's Orders, plans started in November 1947 to build a fire station in Longford Town. In March 1949, Philip Ginnell B Arch ARIBA was instructed to prepare a plot of land in Chapel Lane for the sum of £250. Up to this point, Longford Town has been served by a volunteer brigade operating out of the Market House. In January 1949, a Manager's Order was signed permitting the installation of a siren at Market House in Longford which alerted the local brigade. In later years and before the arrival of telephones, this siren was placed on the courthouse roof. 

In August 1950, as recommended by Philip Ginnell the tender of PJ McLoughlin, Longford was accepted for £2,230 to erect a fire station for Longford at Chapel Lane, Longford Town. In the meantime, it was approved that an annex adjoining the County Home Office of Chief Fire Officer RB Higgins be constructed for a cost of £25. This was to be used to house the fire brigade equipment.  

Above photo: Longford Fire Brigade in 1969

Longford Fire Service from the 1970s to today

With the rapid growth of Longford Town through the 1970s and early 1980s, Longford County Council began to make plans for the development of a new four-bay fire station for the future training and operational needs of the county fire service. A site was chosen Templemichael, adjoining the Camlin River. Built by Stewart Builders, this new fire station was opened in 1995 by Taoiseach Albert Reynolds on 29 August 1995. 

Longford Fire Station was then extended in 2019. It is now a modern six-bay retained fire station. It includes offices, a lecture room, and a drill yard with a drill tower. It is also the headquarters for Longford Fire Service senior fire officers and administration employees.

 Above photo: Longford Fire Station extension official opening in 2019

Ballymahon Fire Station

Opened in 1997, Ballymahon Fire Station is located in Monstrim Road, Ballymahon. It is a two-bay retained fire station, with a lecture room, drill yard and facilities for employees and equipment maintenance. 

Ballymahon Fire Station is manned by a crew of nine retained firefighters, including a station officer, a station sub-officer, and a driver mechanic. The fire station serves 8,230 people across an area of 336 kilometres squared (km2).

History of Ballymahon Fire Station

Before its current location, Ballymahon Fire Station was located in the former courthouse in Market Square, Ballymahon. This location is now home to Ballymahon Library. 

Edgeworthstown Fire Station

Edgeworthstown Fire Station, located on Old Longford Road, opened in 2011. It is a three-bay retained fire station, with a lecture room, drill yard and drill tower and facilities for employees and maintenance. 

With a crew of nine retained firefighters, including a station officer, a sub-station officer and driver mechanic. The fire station services 7,435 people across an area of 283 km2.

History of Edgeworthstown Fire Station

Edgeworthstown's first fire crew was given just three weeks of training, conducted by Captain Laurence Wyse and Sub-Officer John Gannon from the Longford Town Fire Station. 

Edgeworthstown's first fire 'station' was a shed located on Main Street, rented from Andrew Tuite from 16 October 1947. In November 1947, the plans for a new station were prepared, with an estimated construction cost of £2,000. In February 1948, the first uniforms, navy boiler suits, were distributed. 

From the start of the fire brigade in Edgeworthstown, the crew was required to attend drill nights and retaining fees were only paid if members attended at least 75% of their drills in the preceding month.

 In June 1948, Station Officers were appointed to the sub-units, including Edgeworthstown. The number of crew increased from six to eight. On 25 August 1948, two extra members were added to the brigade. The appointment of a station officer was also made, which is an updated title from the previous title of 'captain'. 

In September 1948, the station moved from the accommodation rented from Andre Tuite to another shed from Elizabeth Bowers. At this time also, the first waterproof coats, helmets and boots were distributed to the crew in Edgeworthstown and a decision was taken to allow the crew to retain their suits for personal use in wet weather, unlike today. 

In 1948, a tender was accepted for the construction of Edgeworthstown Fire Station from Thomas Nevin, Dublin Street, Longford. This was home for Edgeworthstown Fire Station for the next 50 years. The last call attended from this station was to a barn fire in Ballinalee on 3 July 2011.

Granard Fire Station

Granard Fire Station, located in Rathcornan, was constructed in 2007. It is a two-bay retained fire station, with a lecture room, a drill yard with a drill tower and facilities for employees and equipment maintenance. 

It is manned by a crew of nine retained firefighters, including a station officer, a station sub-officer and a driver mechanic. The fire station serves 6,850 people across an area of 283 km2. 

Above photo: Handover of commer carrier to Longford Fire Station and 4x4 to Granard Fire Station

Above photo: Granard Fire Service in 2020

Lanesborough Fire Station

Lanesborough Fire Station, located in Knock Lanesborough, was constructed in 2014. It is a two-bay retained fire station, with a lecture room, drill yard and a drill tower and facilities for employees and equipment maintenance. 

It is manned by nine retained firefighters, including a station officer, a sub-station officer and a driver mechanic. The fire station serves 5,405 people, across an area of 245 km2.

History of Lanesborough Fire Station

Lanesborough fire brigade was officially formed on 23 April 1947. The crew of six were Daniel McGuinness, Sub-Officier Alfred Kiernan, leading firefighter and four firefighters Anthony Gaffney, Joseph Kiernan, Eamonn Ryan and Thomas Walsh. The rate of remuneration was £10, £9 and £8 respectively, with an attendance rate of £3 an hour. 

In 1948, an order was placed for the purchase of 45 navy boiler suits for use by the firefighters for use in their duties from P McNulty, Longford. In September 1948, an order was placed for protective clothing including waterproof coats, knee boots and helmets. Firefighters were allowed to keep 444 suits of heavy anti-gas clothing for their person use in wet weather for £6-7 per unit.

In March 1949, a tender was accepted for the building of Lanesborough Fire Station by building contractor Thomas Nevin of Dublin Street, Longford, with a tender price of £657. 

In the early 1950s, the construction of the new fire station started and firemen moved to the new station. At this time the primary school in Lanesborough received permission to build a new school and one classroom of the primary school took up residence in the old fire service building from 1952 to 1957. This is according to past pupil John Casey, who attended the school during this period. 

Above photo: The retirement presentation to Station Officer Eammon Ryan outside Lanesborough Fire Station on 10 April 1979

Above photo: Lanesborough Fire Station official opening in January 2015

The changing role of Longford Fire Service

Throughout its history, the role of Longford Fire Service has changed. In the 1950s a lot of calls were domestic, hay barn and bog fires. One such bog fire took place in June 1958, when a lit match started a fire at Coolamber bog, causing £1000s in damages.

From the 1980s to today, significant fires extinguished by Longford Fire Service included St Christoper's, Provider's Yard in 1982, a hay barn fire in 1989 in which 11,000 bales of hay burned, C&D Foods in Edgeworthstown in 2006, Fahy's Motor Homes fire on the Athlone Road in 2008 and St Mel's Cathedral Christmas fire in 2009, Lough Ree Sub Aqua Club building in July 2021, and Esquires coffee shop in the Axis Centre, Longford Town in 2022.