Train stations in Ireland that used to have "refreshment rooms"?

The Glanmire Buffet was probably the best one in the country and its replacement by a 'travel centre' comfy office for clerical staff was a disgrace.

There's a bar in Belfast Central, though it's obviously not within the CIE network. Of the stations in Dublin four have bars/cafe on site but which are or were operated independently of the station itself, namely Howth, Dun Laoghaire, Bray and Tara Street.

If its any use to you there was a series of articles in the IRRS journals about licence arrangements a few years ago.

Mullingar closed in 1970s I think, booking office now occupies the area.

There was even a very small bar out on the pier at Rosslare Harbour - anybody remember that? The Mullingar one was called "The Newbrook Buffet" after the nearby racecourse. There was even one in the C&L narrow gauge station in Dromod way, way back.

Before cars and planes, railways were used much more by richer people (only meaningful way to travel over land) and much less than by less well off people (they couldn't afford to travel).

There had actually been a small hotel in Cork Kent, above the buffet: http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,568411,572276,12,9 Albert Quay was much more modest and the other stations even more modest again. The longest trip from Capwell was to Macroom - about 25 miles, which I imagine could be done in under an hour.

There were, of course, several stations that had Great Southern or other hotels attached, e.g. Killarney.

Dún Laoghaire had the restaurant (still running, separately), although it was an important point for trans-Atlantic connections. New York-Manchester via Cobh and Dún Laoghaire was more than a day quicker than via Southampton. And similar savings could be made on New-York-London via Rosslare.

Cobh certainly had first-class tea rooms at a minimum.

Longford mentioned above.

There was also an hotel in Limerick Junction station - the room numbers were still on some of the doors in the 1980s.

Del.Monte wrote: »

The Glanmire Buffet was probably the best one in the country and its replacement by a 'travel centre' comfy office for clerical staff was a disgrace.

Many a pint and a bit of nosebag was had by me in the Glanmire. Great spot. Sadly missed. Probably the last of the original experience.

I have childhood memories of the bar/buffet that was in Connolly, but I think it was beginning to go downhill at that stage. Semi circular steps up to it if I'm not mistaken. Used the one in Galway aswell. A sterile kip. Limerick was a nice effort in the early 90s. However my best memories are at Heuston and in adulthood. The greasy spoon cafe and the bar next door full of absolute dipsos. It was always jammed with passengers and "locals". A smoke filled den of enjoyment. I tasted Fosters there for the first time as it was on special offer and served in a branded tankered. Nearly missed the train!

Not a station buffet, but worth a mention from a personal perspective. Early 90s train from castlebar to Dublin one evening. Had lunch that afternoon in a place called the Davitt restaurant (long gone) and by the time we got on the train we were starving. It was only meant to have a snack service despite having the full MK3 restaurant car. We ordered a few cans of draught Guinness (fairly new at the time) and then looked for some grub. The guy in charge was an absolute gentleman and I still remember his name to this day..Rory. He slapped on some chips and nuked those famous burgers in a box. We wolfed it down with more cans on that long trip back east and his great company.

Del.Monte wrote: »

At Heuston the buffet proper was off Platform.1. it later became a 'brasserie' and went rapidly downhill. In the good old days it had venetian blinds and was not advertised to the public as CIE management liked to use it as a private dining club. Silver service, tableclothes, great grub and the Board always paid....:D

Sic transit gloria mundi!

Dined in the Footplate Brasserie once! The last time I was there it was being used as an exhibition area for DART UNDERGROUND. So bad luck followed bad luck.:D

Del.Monte wrote: »

Bet you never had a pint out the pier in Rosslare Harbour - I have vague recollections of it being tiny and I mean it was like a shebeen - perhaps it was.

Of course not. Far too young for that one! Best I did was a bottle of Linden Village outside Kellys Hotel. But I can imagine how it was as I walked out there in 1987. Track still there along with buildings as the "new" Europort was on the way.

Look at the place now.

Del.Monte wrote: »

Bet you never had a pint out the pier in Rosslare Harbour - I have vague recollections of it being tiny and I mean it was like a shebeen - perhaps it was.

Railway refreshment rooms don't need an alcohol licence, so not a shebeen.

Grandeeod wrote: »

. . . I tasted Fosters there for the first time . . .

That's not a good thing, Grandeeod.

Just a few points;
Perusing Dublin licensing registers in the National Archives some years ago, railway refreshment rooms were very prominent, probably as managers changed.
The restaurant on platform 2 in Heuston station always tempted me, with its leaded windows, and the aroma of proper food. Alas, by the time I got around to using it, it had closed.
The Glanmire buffet in Cork stations was also a pleasant experience, with its railway crests from around the world, although I always thought some of the latter were spurious.

This topic brings us to a more serious matter, the availability, or lack of it,of meal service on long distance trains. Not so long ago, you could get proper meals on board, giving rail a competitive advantage, compared with road transport, where people had to break their journey to dine, or allow time for eating, before or after the journey. Today, rail passengers take a snack on the train, then have to allow time at their destination, for meals, the same as the motorists who enjoy faster journeys on the motorway.
Bring back dining cars.

Portarlington station also had refreshment rooms.
http://www.industrialheritageireland.info/TikiWiki/tiki-index.php?page=Portarlington+Station

Ballinasloe almost certainly also had something - even if only in connection with the Horse Fair.