The problem will come, once all the current Irish Railway locos, carriage and good stock have been made available, where do you go to? sure popular modelling has alway followed what is currently out there on the mainline as it reminds us of what is out there to be seen.
Purley as a suggestion you understand, but you could then go back and visit all the heritage sites, Cultra, Whitehead and Downpatrick to start with, to see what they have.
However going back to the days of steam, I am at more of a disadvantage that most of you guys are In Ireland since I live over the waters in Kent, England.
That said my interest has alway been the Donegal (why? I don't think I could give you a sensible answer etc that I happen to like big red steam locos), but the more research I do the more interest I get in the general Irish rail scene. So much so that if I had the space something based on Strabane could be considered for a model, having both gauges of 12mm and 21mm on it.
Colin Rainsbury