On June 12, 1889, Ireland experienced its worst railway accident near Armagh. A Sunday school excursion train, overloaded with passengers, stalled on a steep gradient. Due to inadequate braking systems and operational errors, the rear portion of the train was uncoupled and rolled backward, colliding with another train following closely behind. The catastrophic collision resulted in the deaths of 80 people, many of whom were children, and left nearly 400 injured. The disaster led to significant reforms in railway safety regulations, including the passing of the Regulation of Railways Act in 1889.
