Almost 200 take train to Limerick on Ice
Close to 200 adults and children took part in this year’s North Tipperary Community Rail Partnership’s annual train trip to ice skate in Limerick.
The event has been running to Limerick on Ice for the past two decades and some years ago moved to a two-day event to cater for the crowds that come along from Cloughjordan, Nenagh, and Birdhill.
On January 4, Cloughjordan community had a great day out with 133 people - 48 adults, 26 teenagers and 59 children travelling by train together to Limerick, had fun ice-skating and travelled back again by train in the evening, said Elaine Baker, who organised the Cloughjordan end of the event.
The event draws attention to the need for increased services on the line, and is also a social occasion.
Community members strolled up and down the train chatting to each other, teenagers played card games and hung out together, and children moved around freely. One family group consisted of four sisters and their children and other relatives all taking part together.
The train trip gave a chance for neighbours who hadn’t seen each other in a while to catch up, and new connections to be made. Irish Rail were able to put on an extra carriage for the return journey in the evening, and even so, the train was nearly full, with 141 people on the train at one point.
Louise Morgan Walsh, who took care of Nenagh, said that around 50 travelled on January 5, with 36 people skating.
“I am delighted the way it went,” she said. “It is definitely down to happen again next year.”
Ms Morgan Walsh thanked Irish Rail for putting on larger carriages for the trip, as well as staff for looking after them. She also thanked Limerick on Ice for the reduced rate that they gave those who come by train.
“Where else would you have a great day for €15 for the train and skating,” she said.
North Tipperary Community Rail partnership has been campaigning for better services along the line. They conducted a survey in 2022 and have used the results of the survey to advocate strongly to the NTA and Irish Rail to increase the frequency of services along the Ballybrophy to Limerick line.
“The huge enthusiasm for and participation in this trip showed the commitment of the Cloughjordan community to using the train more and more if the timetable and frequency can be better designed for their needs, and the infrastructure investment, which has gone into the line in recent years translated into better services for the community,” said Ms Baker.
Currently, Cloughjordan residents cannot get to Limerick by any form of public transport for 9am, which is a big problem for many students and workers.
“The day out was a great success, combining fun, community gathering and sending an important message about the importance of train travel,” she said.