Set of taps, crutch, yoga mat and multiple Penneys bags among Irish Rail's lost and found 

A set of taps, a bible, a book on constitutional law, a crutch, and a yoga mat were among the lost and found items reported by Irish Rail.

A set of taps, a bible, a book on constitutional law, a crutch, and a yoga mat were among the lost and found items reported by Irish Rail.

Thousands of items are accidentally left behind — or sometimes simply abandoned — on train services every year with headphones, chargers, wallets, and clothing items among the most commonly misplaced items.

Irish Rail said one side-effect of Covid-19 restrictions had been a sharp fall in the number of things ending up in lost and found.

At one of the country’s busiest stations Heuston in Dublin, a typical month could see up to 100 items found around the station building or on incoming trains.

A sample electronic log from January 2020 details the loss of a wallet with €25 inside, a set of Bose headphones, and a Hewlett Packard laptop in a purple bag.

Also found were a set of taps, car keys for a Hyundai, and a mysterious “black folder with documents”.

A gentleman’s tweed cap was also handed in, as was a pink Moses basket for a baby, and a USB stick, according to records released under FOI.

At Westport Station in Mayo, a “train cash book” is used to record lost and found items, which included a fur coat, a grey medical bag, and several pairs of spectacles.

Also left behind, were a pair of kids’ wellies, a passport, plus one blue jacket containing a copy of the Irish Field newspaper.

One passenger left behind a crutch, perhaps having recovered during their train journey, while numerous Penney’s bags were also reported lost.

In Kent Station in Cork, a hand-written ledger is used to log lost and found items.

Among the things found there were a 160-pack of Marlboro cigarettes, a red mountain bike, and dozens of bank cards, wallets, and glasses.

The station also logged a missing yoga mat, a folding chair, a Harris tweed hat, and a black suitcase.

Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny said: “Lost property and public transport do go hand in hand, and over time reflect trends in clothing, reading, technology and more.

“Of course, a by-product of Covid restrictions is that it has been a relatively quiet time for lost property.” He said Irish Rail held lost property for customers for 30 days, and after that worked with local charities around the country to find a new home for items that were still considered “of use or value”.