Future Transport in Galway...

Sulmac

Recently, there has been a lot of talk from various groups about finally putting a realistic transport system in Galway City (though some proposals have also extended into the County as well). What are your views on the proposals and are any of them realistic?

Here are a few that I was able to dig up...

1. Light Rail
1.1 Corrib Light Rail

This I found while browsing Wikipedia. It's basically a proposal put forward by an independent researcher. Here are the key points:

• Two lines
• 28km long (in total)
• ~€5m per km (~€140m total)
• Line 1: Oranmore - Knocknacarra
• Line 2: Ceannt Station - Moycullen
• Major landmarks served: Ceannt Station, Eyre Square, NUIG, UCHG, GMIT, Merlin Park Hospital, Corrib Village and Oranmore Station.

More information (with a map and pictures) can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrib_Light_Rail


1.2 Green Party's {Unnamed} Light Rail Proposal

This was on the RTÉ News one day, so I decided to do a little more research into the topic; here's what I found.

• One line
• Unknown length
• Unknown cost
• Line: Barna - City Centre - Oranmore
• Major landmarks served: NUIG, Eyre Square, Oranmore Train Station

More information can be found here:

http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/green_party_commits_to_new_light_rail_projects_in_cork_galway_and_dublin

http://www.greenparty.ie/en/policies/transport

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0121/greens.html

http://www.greenparty.ie/en/policies/transport

2. Bus Rapid Transit (also known as 'Streetcars') and Buses in General

This seems to be extremely popular with Bus Éireann (unsurprisingly) :rolleyes: .

This involves having 'bus trams' which will sometimes run on their own special 'tracks' (usually outside the city centre). In addition to this proposal, bus services in and around the city will get a major boost as this plan by Bus Éireann has just been announced:

http://www.buseireann.ie/site/news_centre/press_centre.asp?action=view&news_id=525

See also:

http://www.transport21.ie/MEDIA/Press_Releases/Cullen_announces_details_together_with_CIE_of_expansion_plans_for_Galways_Ceannt_Station_and_improvements_in_bus_and_rail_services_for_Galway.html

3. Suburban/Commuter Rail

This long-awaited plan has gotten some steam (no pun intended)in recent months with the announcment that the Western Rail Corridor is to be improved.

The plan is for a Galway Ceannt - Oranmore - Athenry - Tuam service, though this is almost definately going to go ahead (the reopening of the WRT, coupled with the Ceannt Station redevelopment and public demand).

Here's a bit more information:

http://www.transport21.ie/MEDIA/Press_Releases/Cullen_announces_details_together_with_CIE_of_expansion_plans_for_Galways_Ceannt_Station_and_improvements_in_bus_and_rail_services_for_Galway.html

http://www.transport21.ie/PROJECTS/HEAVY_RAIL/Western_Rail_Corridor.html

4. Ceannt Station Redevelopment/Ceannt Station Quarter

A very interesting €1bn project, Ceannt Station will finally be brought into the 21st century, with 3 rail platforms (for both intercity and commuter/suburban rail) and 25 bus-bays, presumably both for City, Commuter and Intercity bus routes.

The 'Ceannt Station Quarter' also seems interesting, with 800 residential units, bars, restaurants and shops to be built - some of which could be high-rise - on the 6 hectare site.

More here:

http://www.transport21.ie/MEDIA/Press_Releases/Cullen_announces_details_together_with_CIE_of_expansion_plans_for_Galways_Ceannt_Station_and_improvements_in_bus_and_rail_services_for_Galway.html

5. Roads Network

The roads network will improve significantly too, with the N6 to Dublin, N17 to Tuam and N18 to Limerick all planned to be either motorway or dual carriageway by 2015, and the 27km Galway City Outer Bypass to be built.

5. Galway Airport

There are proposals to extend Galway Airport's runway meaning it could allow larger planes (and therefore further destinations).

The government also just (last week) gave the airport €6.3mn in capital grants.

Maybe now there'll be some more exciting destinations in mainland Europe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galway_Airport

6. Galway Harbour

Pending planning permission, the harbour might see major changes under a €1.5bn plan.

http://www.galway.net/GalwayNet/img/orig/506.jpg

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A brilliant article with all the development in and around the city can be found here (worth a good read):

http://www.kmsgalway.com/menu.asp?menu=122&parent=0&item=0003


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Well, what do you think about the transport ideas for Galway; are they needed (or not)? Are they popular with you? Does it make economical sense? Etc...?

ARGINITE

Sulmac wrote:

are they needed (or not)?

Their is some sort of propper bus (short term) or light rail (long term) system needed within the city.
As for outside the city, well a rail system would be nice but would take forever for it to be built. (10+ years)

Msfc

Ceannt station definitely needs to be redeveloped coz its a dump!!
They all sound very interesting but will they ever happen??

ARGINITE

Msfc wrote:

Ceannt station definitely needs to be redeveloped coz its a dump!!

True, but as you have said will they ever happen?

JIZZLORD

Sulmac wrote:

2. Bus Rapid Transit (also known as 'Streetcars') and Buses in General

This seems to be extremely popular with Bus Éireann (unsurprisingly) :rolleyes: .

This involves having 'bus trams' which will sometimes run on their own special 'tracks' (usually outside the city centre). In addition to this proposal, bus services in and around the city will get a major boost as this plan by Bus Éireann has just been announced:

i seen a long ass bendy bus with english plates drving around town last week, it looked awkward as ****!

Fenster

It'll never happen. Why, we're so far from Dublin and all that's out here are fields and sheep, right? :rolleyes:

JohnCleary

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CLR_Tram_crossing_corrib.jpg

NEVER going to happen as long as that red building is there

Sulmac

JIZZLORD wrote:

i seen a long ass bendy bus with english plates drving around town last week, it looked awkward as ****!

Is it the bus in this video: http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0222/6news.html (look at "Row over Galway bus & rail terminal development").

PixelTrawler

There was some snazzy photos of the proposed new train and bus depot. Looks very nice if they pull it off.

Photos were in Galway First yesterday

ScumLord

As far as I know the Tuam - Galway train line is going ahead. It would be a godsend if they did. The traffic on the N17 really makes you think twice about driving to Galway. It's such a pain it's barely worth the trouble unless your staying over night.

Sulmac

Here's the photos of the soon-to-be Ceannt Station with report:

http://editions.pagesuite.co.uk//_PSEDitions/Galway%20Advertiser/Galway%20First/2007-02-26/PDFPages/Page27.pdf

Msfc

Sulmac wrote:

Here's the photos of the soon-to-be Ceannt Station with report:

http://editions.pagesuite.co.uk//_PSEDitions/Galway%20Advertiser/Galway%20First/2007-02-26/PDFPages/Page27.pdf

Yeah saw them in Galway First- how nice would that be!!

randylonghorn

Sulmac wrote:

1. Light Rail
1.1 Corrib Light Rail

• Two lines
• 28km long (in total)
• ~€5m per km (~€140m total)
• Line 1: Oranmore - Knocknacarra
• Line 2: Ceannt Station - Moycullen
• Major landmarks served: Ceannt Station, Eyre Square, NUIG, UCHG, GMIT, Merlin Park Hospital, Corrib Village and Oranmore Station.

This kind of linkage would be heaven! ... tho' I would be inclined to think it should run to Athenry, and that the Athenry - Galway link could use the existing track.

Problem is that the planning wasn't done 20 years ago, when places like Knocknacarra etc. were being built. Even if nothing was actually put into place then, leaving the space for it would solve so many problems / save so much money now.

That said, something is going to have to be done eventually, and the longer it's left, the more it will cost.

stevecrow74

ScumLord wrote:

As far as I know the Tuam - Galway train line is going ahead. It would be a godsend if they did. The traffic on the N17 really makes you think twice about driving to Galway. It's such a pain it's barely worth the trouble unless your staying over night.

it ok saying openening the western rail link and all that.. but what people seem to forget is that the train doesnt go direct from the city to tuam it link up on the track at athenry.. so does that mean a connection at athenry or will they actually run a commuter on that line.. and if so will it effect the running times of the galway dublin train (seeing as there is only one track from galway to athenry)

just a few things to think about...

Sulmac

I've found pictures of the proposed 'StreetCars', and a Wikipedia entry on the specific model that was in Galway:

http://www.wright-group.co.uk/streetcar/ (click on the pictures to view full-size)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_StreetCar

PixelTrawler

From the front it looks a little like a LUAS thats decided to flee dublin.

Hard to imagine them getting that thing around some of the tight corners here

JIZZLORD

Joebloggs4817 wrote:

From the front it looks a little like a LUAS thats decided to flee dublin.

Hard to imagine them getting that thing around some of the tight corners here

as i mentioned in my earlier post it struggled around the corner at the bottom of the square, aib side

ScumLord

There just buses there's nothing new about them. The buses we already have can barely fit on the roads in Galway. More smaller buses would be of more benifit. Galway doesn't really need buses internally the citys to small encouraging bikes like in Amsterdam would be better in every way. What ever happened to those four seater bike you used to see in salthill?

PopeBuckfastXVI

ScumLord wrote:

What ever happened to those four seater bike you used to see in salthill?

Dude!!! They rocked! I haven't seen them since I were a wee nipper in the early 80s, before I moved away from Galway for the civilised east!

ScumLord

They where class alright, it's been so long since I've seen them I can't remember if I went on one or not. I remember pestering me ol pair for a go on them every time we went to Galway can't remember if they gave in or not.

foxy_19-89

Galway city and its outer towns are in DIER need of a decent bus service first off. i live in newcastle, about a 15/20 min walk from the centre of the city. some days i want to get the bus, i just think waiting up to an hour and 5 mins is abdolutely ridiculous. why cant the just be as simple as to run every 15mins mon - sat 7:30 until 22:30. the bus service here sickens me, especially when i go to dublin and a bus can be gotten so easilly,not just a bus, but a train, a luas, a taxi. everywher seems to be better than us, public transport wise, and here we are complainin about all the cars on the road. get the finger out and do something about it!

gbh

I don't want to seem like a killjoy or anything but the Galway planners or City Council or whatever are notoriously bad at getting any major projects implemented. Look at the Eyre Square development to name one. Or look at how they have allowed the Water Works to go out of date. I just don't see the current crop being able to implement a major project like this if they can't even supply clean water to the people.

mickd

Why is there not a bus service to the airport? Hourly bus services to Shannon & Dublin but none to the fastest growing regional airport in Ireland. Galway can really be infuriating at times.

D-A-V-E

mickd wrote:

Why is there not a bus service to the airport? Hourly bus services to Shannon & Dublin but none to the fastest growing regional airport in Ireland. Galway can really be infuriating at times.

those stretch buses that yer man was posting were in Limerick too. i saw a few going around town one day, cant imagine them being encorporated into galway city as the streets are a lot narrower then the ones in Limerick like. shure Limerick is promised a light rail system too and all these fancy buses, but its never going to happen in the near future! its all spoof!

galwayrush

gbh wrote:

I don't want to seem like a killjoy or anything but the Galway planners or City Council or whatever are notoriously bad at getting any major projects implemented. Look at the Eyre Square development to name one. Or look at how they have allowed the Water Works to go out of date. I just don't see the current crop being able to implement a major project like this if they can't even supply clean water to the people.

Did you know that two businessmen offered to do the works on Eyre Square at their own expense if they were allowed to build an underground carpark there to recoup their investment? The corporation declined, obviously preferred to waste money and feck it up for as long as possible instead.

galwayrush

Our wonderful people with the power to do something with our traffic chaos that is the Headford rd roundabout have decided to add more traffic lights and went against practical advice of a few Fly-Overs and under passes.Aw well, elect morons, get a more fecked up City.

Mrs OBumble

Galway is a small, walkable city.

Or it would be if they'd actually paint a few pedestrian crossings on the roads - I don't think I've seen ANY here anywhere!

It's a rash thought, I know, but a lot cheaper and easier than any of the other proposals out there.

Oh - and ask the guards to actually start enforcing laws about parking on footpaths too ...

padraig71

Did anyone see the piece in this week's Galway Independent headed 'Galway "Luas" gets green light from transport minister'?

Noel Dempsey is quoted as saying that 'he was aware the new outer bypass would not solve traffic problems in the city and a new public transport system was the only solution'. Niall O Brolchain says 'the new Luas could be up and running by 2012'.

Sounds good - I hope it's true, but I also hope the city council aren't left in charge of implementation, given their record of cackhandedness with regard to Eyre Square etc.

leninbenjamin

padraig71 wrote: »

Did anyone see the piece in this week's Galway Independent headed 'Galway "Luas" gets green light from transport minister'?

Noel Dempsey is quoted as saying that 'he was aware the new outer bypass would not solve traffic problems in the city and a new public transport system was the only solution'. Niall O Brolchain says 'the new Luas could be up and running by 2012'.

Sounds good - I hope it's true, but I also hope the city council aren't left in charge of implementation, given their record of cackhandedness with regard to Eyre Square etc.

not a hope of this happening by 2012, more like 2112. f*ck they wont even be able to get planning permission for it by then...

I'd really love to see this happen but i'm really really pessimistic about all this.

Mrs OBumble

So where is this "Luas" going to run between then? Just which of the far-flung industrial and housing estates is it going to service???

Toto Wolfcastle

JustMary wrote: »

Galway is a small, walkable city.

Or it would be if they'd actually paint a few pedestrian crossings on the roads - I don't think I've seen ANY here anywhere!

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has noticed this! Walking to college I spend a good bit of time waiting for the traffic to calm down so I can cross roads. It's highly annoying.

There is so much traffic in Galway. There is always a traffic jam outside my apartment, day or night. Most days I catch up with the bus and beat it home. I'd love to have a car here but I would get so frustrated if I had to sit in traffic all day.

A Luas would probably be a good idea, but, as always, something would go wrong and the whole thing would be a disaster.

padraig71

It would also be nice if more motorists had the decency to use their indicators to show other road users where they are intending to go. Try crossing the bottom of Flood Street near the House hotel and see how many drivers indicate 'right' when turning right for Merchants Road - a tiny minority compared with those who turn right while indicating 'straight ahead', i.e. no indicator showing.

pablot

i lived out beside the GMIT for two years and had to get the bus in and out to newcastle everyday. Why was i living in Renmore you might ask, long story but suffice it to say, i had to live there. Anyway, i got such a hatred for local buses after that, that i refused point blank to set foot inside one for a year and a half afterward. I would see the bus coming and pass me on its way out to merlin, thinking it should only be 10 mins or so but often times a half hour would pass and you would still be standing there. I would wait at the GMIT stop and it was bloody freezing and/or wet. I was a big believer in public transport up to then but then decided to hell with this being sick all the time from going to work soaked to the skin, i got a car. Then i was to contribute my fair share to galway's traffic problem, not to mention our co2 contributions. I never blamed the bus drivers (and yes there were bus corridors when i was there but somehow that never helped) nor the fact that the fare went up 3 times over that period. The frequency of the buses was so pathetic. Hats of the whoever runs the bus system in galway.

Squeeonline

I think that the Light Rail, or as I like to call it the GART <Galway area rapid transit> would be a great idea, but they need to learn from the mistakes made in Dublin building the Luas. As someone said here earlier, they needed to work this kind of think into the housing estates as they were being built and they havnt done that. Considering this, they should really start working this kind of thing into NEW estates that are built.

In one of the links above, they hypothesis that the population of Galway will double in the next 10 years. Transport links should obviously be built into the plans.

On the other hand there should be other more "CO2 friendly" initiatives like more CYCLE PATHS. Galway doesnt seem to have heard of them. I live in Rahoon and the only cycle path that I have seen in Galway is on the Western Distributer road, but it stops at the Brown/Dunne roundabout (can never remember which) There should be miles of cycle paths in Galway and safe places for people to keep their bikes. This should be a far cheaper and easier solution and much more environmentally friendly etc etc. blah blah carbon footprint etc.

Dont discourage people from driving etc by hiking up taxes but rather encourage people to walk/cycle or public transport if its available.

ScumLord

If they don't do something with the N17 and other roads into Galway it's going to damage Galway. I used to love going to Galway but now I couldn't be arsed siting in traffic. I won't go to Galway unless absolutely necessary.

Robbo

padraig71 wrote: »

It would also be nice if more motorists had the decency to use their indicators to show other road users where they are intending to go. Try crossing the bottom of Flood Street near the House hotel and see how many drivers indicate 'right' when turning right for Merchants Road - a tiny minority compared with those who turn right while indicating 'straight ahead', i.e. no indicator showing.

The main flow of traffic is to the right, hence the lack of indicating. Maybe the roadmarks have gone to pot there but that's been the layout for years.

leninbenjamin

ScumLord wrote: »

If they don't do something with the N17 and other roads into Galway it's going to damage Galway. I used to love going to Galway but now I couldn't be arsed siting in traffic. I won't go to Galway unless absolutely necessary.

it's the whole NIMBY thing as well as incompetent councillors. everyone says something should be done, but if it comes within a 3mile radius of their house they object.

ScumLord

leninbenjamin wrote: »

it's the whole NIMBY thing as well as incompetent councillors. everyone says something should be done, but if it comes within a 3mile radius of their house they object.

It's gone beyond a joke at this stage by the time we get the road we'll probably have run out of oil making the road pointless.

I don't think it's even got as far nimby yet, every plan for a Tuam bypass has been laughed out of the room by the NRA. Now they have to go back to the drawing board and incorporate the bypass into the new N17 so it's looking like 2008 before they even consider making plans to start I don't think we'll see a new road for another decade.

padraig71

Robbo wrote: »

The main flow of traffic is to the right, hence the lack of indicating. Maybe the roadmarks have gone to pot there but that's been the layout for years.

Fair enough, in that case they should indicate left when heading straight on into Flood Street.

galwayrush

A tiny minority of idiots are hell bent on stopping the Galway By-Pass, what Planet do they live on thinking it's not needed.:(

padraig71

Mmm, a planet where oil is running out and the use of carbon fuels is causing global warming and threatening the welfare of many species including our own?

galwayrush

padraig71 wrote: »

Mmm, a planet where oil is running out and the use of carbon fuels is causing global warming and threatening the welfare of many species including our own?

Alternative methods of powering vehicles would have been developed years ago but for the power of the Oil Companies, and i'm sure alternatives will be available when there is no more money from soon to be depleted Oil Resources.
We'll still need the roads for a growing City.

padraig71

If we can imagine the development of alternative fuels, then surely it is not outside the realm of possibility that we could also develop more efficient means of moving people around - principally, an effective public transport system. Very few vehicles on the road carry their full quota of passengers, and many of them could be taken off the road if there were a viable alternative.

Building more roads and creating more urban sprawl is not the only or necessarily the best solution to traffic congestion in Galway, and many people have more imagination than to accept the implementation of this plan as a foregone conclusion. Dismissing them as 'a tiny minority of idiots' is not conducive to a reasoned and constructive debate on this important matter.

galwayrush

of course Roads are not the complete solution , but the by-pass is a very important part of the solution to steer the bulk of the traffic away from the inner city where the older roads are not capable of handling the levels of vehicles we have in Galway now... I would love to see a workable public transport system but the biggest problem is our small population combined with low density sprawl.A proper light rail network would have to service the industrial estates as well as the City Centre, but i don't see the powers that be ever spending that amount of money here in the West.

Bass Cadet

padraig71 wrote: »

If we can imagine the development of alternative fuels, then surely it is not outside the realm of possibility that we could also develop more efficient means of moving people around - principally, an effective public transport system. Very few vehicles on the road carry their full quota of passengers, and many of them could be taken off the road if there were a viable alternative.

For the population of Galway and even Ireland now and in the future, The type and scale of public transport that would negate the future building of roads is not feasible or logical. There simply isn't the population to support a 1st class public transport system that will get the majority of people out of their cars.

People still forget that Ireland is still coming out of a 3rd world transport and infrastructure system. For our economy to be sustainable it is impossible to ignore the value of a good and effective roads system. The automobile will never go away. When oil production stops, we'll already have hydrogen (hydrogen fuel cell) powered cars and hybrid engines (so pollution will be a mute point).

At the moment the best bet is to build the best roads possible with the best care possible, both environmentally and archaeology-wise to minimise any disruption to rural communities (if affected) and the history of the land.

As regards to the outer bypass, it's something that is a necessity. Even building an effective, ultra modern, efficient public transport system wont change that. Where do the large freight trucks go? Will tourist buses still have to crawl through Galway to get to connemara? What will happen in the future? Car production will never stop.

Incorporated into this there should be an effective city public transport system, linking all industrial estates and schools, primarily as these are the main causes of traffic congestion (something like the Luas). Completely dismissing road-building is effectively signing away future prosperity. As an island nation, Ireland relies on freight, mainly from road and building all the rail track possible still wont change that.

serfboard

A simple solution to some of the traffic problems in Galway.

Biggest concentration of living area in Galway is Knocknacarra. Biggest concentration of work area in Galway is Ballybrit (how about that for planning?). Biggest traffic problem in Galway is people going from home (e.g. Knocknacarra) to Work (e.g. Ballybrit).

Simple solution? Make left lane of all dual-carriageways in Galway bus-only (and NOT taxis like you have in Dublin, where rich businessmen simply buy a plate and fly past everyone). Start in Oranmore, and finish up on Seamus Quirke Road. And, oh yeah, finish dual-carriageway extension of Seamus Quirke Road to Western Distributor roundabout (in fact, Western Distributor itself should have been built dual-carriageway, with bus lane).

Then, you get to provide a bus service which is more reliable and offers a significant advantage over travelling in a car, thus offering people an incentive to get out of their cars.

(BTW, if people think that they're hearing a lot about Claregalway on AA Roadwatch, wait until the new M6 is completed which terminates beside the Galway Clinic. This is going to be one fine mess of a traffic jam.)

Toto Wolfcastle

serfboard wrote: »

A simple solution to some of the traffic problems in Galway.

Biggest concentration of living area in Galway is Knocknacarra. Biggest concentration of work area in Galway is Ballybrit (how about that for planning?). Biggest traffic problem in Galway is people going from home (e.g. Knocknacarra) to Work (e.g. Ballybrit).

Simple solution? Make left lane of all dual-carriageways in Galway bus-only (and NOT taxis like you have in Dublin, where rich businessmen simply buy a plate and fly past everyone). Start in Oranmore, and finish up on Seamus Quirke Road. And, oh yeah, finish dual-carriageway extension of Seamus Quirke Road to Western Distributor roundabout (in fact, Western Distributor itself should have been built dual-carriageway, with bus lane).

Then, you get to provide a bus service which is more reliable and offers a significant advantage over travelling in a car, thus offering people an incentive to get out of their cars.

(BTW, if people think that they're hearing a lot about Claregalway on AA Roadwatch, wait until the new M6 is completed which terminates beside the Galway Clinic. This is going to be one fine mess of a traffic jam.)

While I know very little about transport solutions, I must say that I'm still shocked by the constant traffic by Western Distributor roundabout and Westside, etc. I have never seen traffic like that anywhere else. I can look out my window at any time of the day and the road is jammed. Something seriously needs to be done. I think everyone agrees on that anyway!

padraig71

Bass Cadet wrote: »

People still forget that Ireland is still coming out of a 3rd world transport and infrastructure system.

Fair point, but don't forget too that previous governments tore up the railways. Connemara tourists used to be able to pass through Galway by train and go on as far as Clifden.

The state of urban planning is ridiculous. Why promote urban sprawl in Galway city and leave other towns in the county to stagnate? Private profit is consistently placed above public utility - the proposed development of Ceannt station being yet another example.

Bass Cadet

serfboard wrote: »

wait until the new M6 is completed which terminates beside the Galway Clinic. This is going to be one fine mess of a traffic jam.)

Because, the outer bypass has been held up for so long. It will be a flyover at that junction as far as I know but that will only push the traffic down towards the roundabout at Tom Hogans. Until there is a dedicated route to bring cars around the city, it'll be a bottle-neck

galwayrush

padraig71 wrote: »

Fair point, but don't forget too that previous governments tore up the railways. Connemara tourists used to be able to pass through Galway by train and go on as far as Clifden.

The state of urban planning is ridiculous. Why promote urban sprawl in Galway city and leave other towns in the county to stagnate? Private profit is consistently placed above public utility - the proposed development of Ceannt station being yet another example.

Galway will be a bigger magnet for investment compared to all the smaller towns around it, retail, third level colleges, etc.the proposed Ceannt Station Development with it's relatively high concentration is one solution to stop Urban Sprawl, building higher density is the only way a proper Public Transport System will ever be viable.

Deadly Delta

padraig71 wrote: »

Fair point, but don't forget too that previous governments tore up the railways. Connemara tourists used to be able to pass through Galway by train and go on as far as Clifden.

Tourists? The Galway Clifden route has been closed since 1937.
http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland_Great_Western_Railway#Galway_to_Clifden