The station opened on 3 December 1862, when the Midland Great Western Railway extended their Longford branch to Sligo, adding rail links to the town from Dublin.

The station building was burned down and destroyed on 11 January 1923 during the Irish Civil War.

Seven engines were sent down the line to the quay and one crashed through a concrete wall into the harbour.

There was a depot previously to the south of the line to the east of the station, the building is now demolished.

[2] There is a line to the mothballed freight terminal which curves off to the north and downward just before the station.