Travelling every line in Ireland

Darrman · August 4, 2023

A while ago I set a goal for myself: travel down every railway line in all of Ireland that I can possibly travel down. Yesterday I reached a major milestone: completing the passenger Irish Rail network in the Republic by covering the Phoenix Park Tunnel. My task isn't complete - most obviously, the North, need to do everything beyond Belfast - but there's also the various narrow gauge operations dotted across the country and I'm not sure which ones are actually open and operational. Below I'll list out each railway line so I haven't forgotten anything: if I did forget something, please let me know.

Irish Rail - GSWR

Dublin - Cork
Islandbridge Junction - North Strand Junction
Cherryville Junction - Kilkenny
Lavistown Loop Line
Kilkenny - Waterford
Portarlington - Athlone
Ballybrophy - Killonan Junction
Limerick Junction bypass
Limerick - Waterford
Limerick - Athenry
Mallow - Tralee
Cork - Cobh
Glounthaune - Midelton

MGWR:
Dublin - Mullingar
Liffey Junction/Broombridge - Docklands
Newcomen Curve
Clonsilla - M3 Parkway
Mullingar - Sligo
Athlone - Galway
Athlone - Westport
Manulla Junction - Ballina

DSER+GNR:
Dublin - Rosslare
Dublin Loop Line
Dublin - Belfast
Howth Branch

NIR:
Belfast Central Railway
Blythefield Curve
Belfast - Bangor
Belfast - Derry
Bleach Green Junction - Larne
Coleraine - Portrush

Trams:
Luas Red
Luas Green

Heritage/tourist railways:
Downpatrick and County Down
Waterford and Suir Valley
Giant's Causeway and Bushmills
Fintown
Cavan and Leitrim
Stradbally
Lartigue Monorail
West Clare

No passenger service:
Drogheda - Navan
Waterford - Belview
Conniberry Yards
North Strand Junction - Dublin Port
East Wall Junction - Church Road Junction

Disused:
Belview - Rosslare Strand
Athenry - Claremorris
Lisburn - Antrim

My source for the heritage lines is S. K. Baker's Rail Atlas of Britain and Ireland, 15th Edition - to my understanding the West Clare hasn't reopened for the season, for example. The many Bord na Mona lines aren't otherwise mentioned as they don't take passengers and are in the process of shutting down. Aside from them, I've been told on this forum the last railtour down the Navan branch was in the 90s. I assume no railtour has been down the remnants of the Waterford-Rosslare line since closure and have almost no idea whatsoever on how many rail tours journey to North Wall, with a quick google suggesting there was an RPSI tour there in the 70s. I'd be surprised if they (or any other tour) reached Alexandra Road. Lisburn - Antrim has had the occasional train across it, but again I have no idea when the last time that happened.