Charles Bianconi, a native of Italy, was born in 1786. He moved to Ireland in 1802, and is famous for his innovations while living there. He was twice mayor of Clonmel, in County Tipperary.
He was the founder of public transportation in Ireland, at a time preceding railways. He established regular horse-drawn carriage services on various routes from about 1815 onwards. These were known as 'Bianconi coaches'. There were also a series of inns, the Bianconi Inns, some of which still exist e.g. in Killorglin.
These services continued into the 1850s and later, by which time there were a number of railway services in the country. The Bianconi coaches continued to be well-patronised, by offering connections from various termini, one of the first and few examples of an integrated transport system in Ireland.
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Last updated: 10-12-2005 21:35:37
