Michael Corcoran, this magazine’s first regular Republic of Ireland columnist and a pioneer vehicle preservationist in his homeland, died on 6 September, aged 88.
He initiated what then was the Irish Journey column in Buses Illustrated. His contributions appeared from the July/August 1957 issue until August 1958, and he returned to provide reports from south of the border from June 1968 to August 1978.
These were often written in a distinctive style, hard facts accompanied by insights into Irish life and the frustrations of trying to gather accurate information. In August 1972, he regretted that reports of fleet changes at Coras Iompair Éireann had never been the same since one Fr Gerard MacBrearty had died two years earlier.
‘That reverend gentleman was responsible for records and there was never any chance of going wrong, his notes being infallible in their accuracy.’
Or in June 1978, describing Van Hool’s failure to make a go of building buses in CIÉ’s Spa Road works, he referred to the Belgian company’s ‘continental personality, which also displayed a rather peculiar sense of customer and public relations’. ‘In common with most Irish customers and as far as getting information was concerned, this c…
