Charles Bianconi (24 September 1786 – 22 September 1875) was an Italo-Irish entrepreneur.

Sometimes described as the “man who put Ireland on wheels”, he developed a network of horse-drawn coaches that became Ireland’s “first regular public transport” system.

1815 - First Service

The first service, Clonmel to Cahir, took five to eight hours by boat but only two hours by Bianconi’s carriage.

Travel on a ‘Bian’ cost one penny farthing a mile.

His open ‘Bianconi coaches’ colloquially shortened to ‘Bians’, were a popular form of public transport for over a century.