All-Ireland final: Additional train services from Cork to Dublin announced

Cork supporters during the All-Ireland semi-final against Limerick. The trains are expected to sell out by close of business today, but Irish Rail is working to arrange more. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Irish Rail has announced four additional train services from Cork to Dublin on All-Ireland final Sunday and is working to arrange more.

The rail company confirmed on Friday that tickets for the four additional services on Sunday, July 21, will go on sale this afternoon.

They will operate in addition to the existing three scheduled services from Cork to Dublin that morning which were sold out within minutes of the final whistle blowing following Cork’s epic win over Limerick in the All-Ireland hurling semi-final last weekend.

Each of the trains is expected to have capacity for up to 417 people.

A spokesman for Irish Rail confirmed that the four additional services will operate as follows:

• 7am Cork to Heuston, Dublin; 
• 8.10am Cork to Heuston; 
• 9.35am Mallow to Heuston; 
• and 9.40am Cork to Heuston.

“The tickets must be booked in advance. We will not be selling tickets on these trains on the morning of travel,” the spokesman said.

“We are hoping to add more services and if we can secure the extra capacity and drivers, we should be in a position to announce more early next week.” 

The trains are expected to sell out by close of business today.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould, who had earlier this week called on the company to announce additional rail services, welcomed the news.

“I’ve been in touch with Irish Rail this week requesting that they put on additional services," he said. “This is good news today for many people who don’t want, or can’t, drive to the match.

“I know these services will be in high demand and they’ll need to be matched with additional bus services. I want to commend Irish Rail who did work proactively to get these services over the line. Public transport must be available for matches like this.

“They have advised me that the trains will be available to book today and they are expecting that they will sell out very quickly. I’ve asked them to consider even more services if it is possible."

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