Great turnout for rail trips to Limerick on Ice

Almost 370 people put their skates on for this year's North Tipperary Community Rail Partnership annual trip to Limerick on Ice.

This was the 15th year that the partnership has organised the highly-popular trip, which Virginia O'Dowd of the partnership said had grown year after year. This year's trip was organised over four days, with 117 people travelling from Nenagh on January 2nd; 95 coming from Cloughjordan on Thursday, January 3rd; 81 from Roscrea on the third day and 75 taking the train last Saturday.

“The trip has become so much part of the Christmas and New Year calendar along the Ballybrophy to Limerick rail line that this year the partnership had to run the trips over four days,” Ms O'Dowd said.

“These are fun days out and bring communities along the rail line together. They also help to promote the line. We have seen an increase in passenger numbers using the line every year after the trip,” she said.

This year's event almost took a tumble even before it started as Irish Rail suffered a signal failure on the line on January 2nd and had to put on bus transfers to Birdhill. “In fairness, to Irish Rail, they did not let us down,” said Ms O'Dowd. “They responded very quickly to the unexpected situation and made sure we got to Limerick on time.”

The company made sure there was a full train service for the journey home, she said. Ms O'Dowd thanked Irish Rail and Limerick on Ice for their assistance in making the days run smoothly, with Limerick on Ice giving a discounted entrance to the facility on production of a train ticket. She thanked all those who turned up to support the event over the four days.

Ms O'Dowd also thanked partnership member Duncan Martin from Cloughjordan, who organised the Cloughjordan and Roscrea trips. Encouraging people to use the line, she pointed out that Irish Rail operates a €6 return fare from anywhere along the Ballybrophy to Limerick line, with children travelling for €3 return.