Booze ban on train

Boozed-up hen and stag parties visiting Galway for weekend sessions have been inflicting ‘the horrors’ on other train passengers.

Irish Rail has decided to ban all drink from its 1pm service from Galway to Dublin – and bouncers will be on board to enforce the new rule.

The company has been receiving regular complaints about boisterous and anti-social behaviour on Sunday afternoons as revellers make their way home to Dublin.

Communications Manager Barry Kenny told the Galway City Tribune that while Irish Rail is fully in favour of passengers enjoying a few drinks responsibly, the situation on the 1pm Sunday service has become “intolerable”.

He said the problem was caused by mainly by hen and stag parties from Dublin “topping up” after a weekend in Galway.

Catering staff have been instructed not to serve booze for the 1pm service from Galway on Sundays and security staff will confiscate anyone who tries to bring drink onboard.

Mr Kenny said: “We had a lot of groups of stags and hens and it was becoming a recurring problem on the Sunday lunchtime service from Galway. They were both large and small groups and were disturbing the majority of our passengers.

 “The ban is not something we like to do – one of the benefits of train travel is that people can enjoy a few drinks responsibly. The ban only affects the Sunday lunchtime service to Dublin,” said Mr Kenny.

He added that the complaints were that the service was becoming “intolerable” for other passengers.

A similar ban was introduced last year on Friday and Sunday afternoon services from Dublin to Waterford and back.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.