Critical times for rail as ‘Celtic Tiger’ era hits the buffers

Hard times for the Irish economy have put the brakes on a railway revival, but there is still a vision of making more of the rural network to help economic development and tourism

Dr. Paul Salveson played a leading role in the formation in the late 1990s of the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP). In 2005, he joined Northern Rail as head of government and community strategies and in 2008 he was awarded an MBE for his services to the rail industry. He has since worked at Grand Central as external relations manager, and is now an independent advisor.

Dr. Paul Salveson played a leading role in the formation in the late 1990s of the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP). In 2005, he joined Northern Rail as head of government and community strategies and in 2008 he was awarded an MBE for his services to the rail industry. He has since worked at Grand Central as external relations manager, and is now an independent advisor.

Gort, on newly-opened Western rail Corridor between Ennis and Athenry. This service is Limerick - Galway

Gort, on newly-opened Western rail Corridor between Ennis and Athenry. This service is Limerick - Galway

Limited passenger volumes set a challenge: Nenagh on Ballybrophy - Limerick, under threat of closure.

Limited passenger volumes set a challenge: Nenagh on Ballybrophy - Limerick, under threat of closure.

For a network with very few gradients, Ireland’s railways have been on a switchback these last few years, going from famine to feast and back again. For many years railways both north and south of the country were starved of investment. Then things took off in the last ten years. Northern Ireland got new trains and line upgrades, in part through the ‘peace dividend’. In the Republic, the renaissance was led by a highly respected English railwayman, Dick Fearn. Iarnrod Eireann...