Thanks for the confirmation, Noel!
Re. the ire towards the service being in the hands of a UK operator and the cost of travelling... I don't get it.
There were no Irish companies queuing up for the Mk3s, so the fact they are now being used to create a few jobs, generate revenue for Irish Rail and create a bit of 'wow' factor from a tourism perspective instead of simply being scrapped can only be positive.
And yes, the cost of travelling isn't cheap but the Grand Hibernian is apparently booked out for the next two years, so the customer base is obviously there. It's a bit like complaining about not being able to afford a Ferrari...