Smithborough station
Railway Heritage
Smithborough railway station opened on 2 March 1863 as part of the Ulster Railway. The station and line closed on 14 October 1957. The railway is gone but the settlement remained.
Smithborough (Irish: Na Mullaí, "the millstreams") is a small village on the N54 between Monaghan and Clones. The name comes from Irish "Teach an Scotaigh" — but this is Smithborough, not Scotstown (which is a different village nearby). The distinction matters locally.
Three thousand people live in a 363-person village. Population figures from nearby towns dwarf this. But the village is solid — it is where people who live in Monaghan go to pass through.
The landscape is drumlin at its most generous. Field paths connect to nearby villages. The walks are quiet and specific.
The reason to come back. The things every local will eventually tell you about, usually after the second pint.
Wear waterproofs. Bring a sandwich. Tell someone where you're going if it's the mountain.
There is no bad time. There are different times.
The landscape greens. Good walking.
Settled weather.
The light is particular.
Grey and wet.
Monaghan is 20 minutes. Clones is 15 minutes.
The N54 has bus services.