Donegal and international time zones

Sir, – Having enjoyed a re-enactment of the 1916 Rising in Letterkenny, Frank McNally himself reprised a moment in Donegal history by waiting for McGinley's (non-existent) 5.45pm bus service to Dublin (An Irishman's Diary, February 10th). In Bundoran in 1876, Sir Sandford Fleming, a Canadian railway engineer, waited in vain for the (non-existent) 5:35pm train, but spent the night in the station as the train left regularly at 5:35am each day. Having spent the night in deep thought, Fleming published an essay entitled "Terrestrial Time", suggesting a number of measures towards a worldwide system of time. He recommended counting the hours from 1 to 24 instead of the customary 1 to 12, dividing the world into 24 time zones and establishing Greenwich as the prime meridian.

Fleming’s revolutionary ideas were rapidly adopted, and “Donegal time” is now universal. McGinley’s bus timetable is in 24-hour format, and I can assure Frank McNally that the 0440 from Bunbeg to Dublin never fails to turn up. – Yours, etc,

Dr JOHN DOHERTY,

Gaoth Dobhair,

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