Ideas for things to do over the next few days?

[Mol_PMB]

I'm going to be staying in Dublin for a few days, but some of my plans have fallen through so I'm looking for other ideas.

 

I had hoped to be leafing through documents in the IRRS Archives but that's now impossible.

• I arrive tomorrow lunchtime (Friday) and have IRRS commitments in the afternoon.
• Saturday I'll be on the IRRS/RPSI special train.
• Either Sunday or Monday I'll go to the model railway exhibition, but the other day will be free.
• Tuesday is also free.
• Wednesday afternoon I fly home but the morning is free.

The weather is likely to be bad with storms forecast, so it's not the right time to enjoy a coastal walk or a boat trip. 

I'll be reliant on public transport, but there are several line closures around Dublin and the marathon may complicate matters too.

Thinking of railways I haven't been to:

• I looked at Stradbally but their operating season is over.
• Waterford & Suir Valley is operating but it's Halloween specials which doesn't really appeal - maybe better than nothing.
• Maam Cross is a long way away and I can't see any evidence that they would be open.

Headhunters in Enniskillen is a possibility on Tuesday, it's about 3 hours by bus from Dublin which is quite a way to go for a haircut! The bus also goes via Belturbet but I can't find any information on the status of the museum there.

It seems a bit of a waste to hunker down in my hotel and work on my laptop, though there's plenty needs doing.

 

So, any suggestions of things I can do to fill my time? They don't have to be railway related, or in Dublin, as long as it's a reasonable day trip.

 

Many thanks,

Mol

[Broithe]

Malahide?

[Mol_PMB]

8 minutes ago, Broithe said:

Malahide?

Good suggestion, and at least I can get there on the DART. I've done the casino model railway museum twice. I could go and rattle @jhb171achill's cage...

Is there much else to see - the castle?

[Metrovik]

Kildare steam museum, fabulous place with 6 working stationary steam engines if I remember correctly. Nice cafe there too. They do steam ups on Sundays and Bank holidays. The only thing is I'm not sure how accessible it is by public transport.

[Mol_PMB]

8 minutes ago, Metrovik said:

Kildare steam museum, fabulous place with 6 working stationary steam engines if I remember correctly. Nice cafe there too. They do steam ups on Sundays and Bank holidays. The only thing is I'm not sure how accessible it is by public transport.

Great idea - thank you! I hadn't heard of that.

It looks like the 120 bus runs about hourly from Dublin on Sundays and Holidays, and stops nearby. Should be do-able.

[Georgeconna]

Ulster Aviation museum?

 

https://www.ulsteraviationsociety.org/

[Flying Snail]

Kildare Steam Museum mentioned by Metrovik: https://www.steam-museum.ie/

They reduce their opening hours in the off-season but the website says they're open Sundays and Bank Holiday's in October, so you're in luck @MoI_PMB

Its actually very close to the Dublin Cork railway, and once upon a time there was a station in Straffan. The village itself is small, but there's a few interesting spots nearby including the grave of one Arthur Guinness. The weather may be a bit damp this weekend, otherwise I'd recommend renting an ebike and heading there along the Grand Canal - its very doable from Dublin, or you could get a train down to nearby Sallins and cycle up from there.

 

Edited Thursday at 16:35 by Flying Snail

[Broithe]

Or Baldonnell? 

Although it might be a bit late to organise that this time.

https://aviationmuseum.eu/Blogvorm/irish-air-corps-museum/

[Mol_PMB]

13 minutes ago, Georgeconna said:

Ulster Aviation museum?

 

https://www.ulsteraviationsociety.org/

That looks really good too! A surprisingly large aircraft collection.

6 minutes ago, Broithe said:

Or Baldonnell? 

Although it might be a bit late to organise that this time.

https://aviationmuseum.eu/Blogvorm/irish-air-corps-museum/

And that looks very interesting as well. I've always had a soft spot for the Vampire - a wooden jet plane.

 

Thank you both!

It looks like visits to both need to be pre-arranged well in advance, but would be well worth it. 

 

This forum is much better than Tripadvisor in suggesting interesting places to visit!

 

Edited Thursday at 16:46 by Mol_PMB

[Metrovik]

 

3 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

This forum is much better than Tripadvisor in suggesting interesting places to visit!

I really hope they're actually steaming if you do decide to go now! All I can say is they were when I rocked up!

[jhb171achill]

7 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

Good suggestion, and at least I can get there on the DART. I've done the casino model railway museum twice. I could go and rattle @jhb171achill's cage...

Is there much else to see - the castle?

You're very welcome to rattle!

[Signal Post]

How about the National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire https://www.mariner.ie/

I don't know how interested you are in maritime matters, but I do recall you mentioning a recent voyage on here, so maybe?

Although I note that on the Bank Holiday Monday there is a Halloween Mask making event for 6 to 12 year olds so not sure if that'd float your boat.....

[Mol_PMB]

2 hours ago, Signal Post said:

How about the National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire https://www.mariner.ie/

I don't know how interested you are in maritime matters, but I do recall you mentioning a recent voyage on here, so maybe?

Although I note that on the Bank Holiday Monday there is a Halloween Mask making event for 6 to 12 year olds so not sure if that'd float your boat.....

Thanks, another great idea, and I am into ships. As you say, not ideal for Monday (nice pun you had there)  but perhaps Tuesday. The Dart should be running again by then too. 

[108]

The National Museum at Collins Barracks has an interesting military section which has a Vampire suspended from the roof. 1 stop on the Luas from Heuston. 
 

There’s also the Military Museum in the centre of the Curragh Camp but im not sure whether there is any public transport option to there. (126 bus perhaps)

[Mol_PMB]

Many thanks! Sounds like the national museum may be more interesting than I had thought. 
lots of options now!

thanks to all

mol

[108]

Just now, Mol_PMB said:

Many thanks! Sounds like the national museum may be more interesting than I had thought. 
lots of options now!

thanks to all

mol

Collins Barracks also has the Asgard in its own building and a fascinating 1916 exhibition. 

[Broithe]

You do wonder how many people end up at Collins Barracks when they've actually gone to Dublin as Bram Stoker fans, because they hear there's a Vampire hanging from the celling?

[Galteemore]

Serves them right for going in daylight 

[Mol_PMB]

On 24/10/2026 at 7:07 PM, Broithe said:

You do wonder how many people end up at Collins Barracks when they've actually gone to Dublin as Bram Stoker fans, because they hear there's a Vampire hanging from the celling?

The café at Straffan near the steam museum is excellent for homemade food, and also decorated with old photos and drawings from Inchicore and Dundalk. 
Some of these may be ones the IRRS doesn’t have. 
Difficult to photograph as some are high on the walls, here’s a few snaps. 
 

[Broithe]

Risky going there yesterday!

Full Moon.

The Vampire comes down every night...

Get somebody to look at your neck.

@murrayec is machining a silver bullet as we speak...

[Mol_PMB]

19 minutes ago, Broithe said:

Risky going there yesterday!

Full Moon.

The Vampire comes down every night...

Get somebody to look at your neck.

@murrayec is machining a silver bullet as we speak...

There seem to be a few nasty characters at the Smithwick’s brewery too…

The hand-painted murals explaining what each steam engine did are a really nice touch. 

 

[Galteemore]

Can’t imagine why a Guinness would possibly want to cast shade at Smithwicks…..

[Tractionman]

On 22/10/2026 at 3:58 PM, Mol_PMB said:

Tuesday is also free.

a trip up north on the Enterprise perhaps? then from Belfast Grand Central out to Cultra for the Transport Museum (it's open Tuesdays--https://www.ulstertransportmuseum.org/), might all make for a nice wee day out from Dublin? pint in the Crown before the train back south?

 

[Mol_PMB]

9 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

Can’t imagine why a Guinness would possibly want to cast shade at Smithwicks…..

It’s a very alcoholic collection of steam engines. Other examples from Murphy’s and Jameson’s. 

[Mol_PMB]

1 hour ago, Tractionman said:

a trip up north on the Enterprise perhaps? then from Belfast Grand Central out to Cultra for the Transport Museum (it's open Tuesdays--https://www.ulstertransportmuseum.org/), might all make for a nice wee day out from Dublin? pint in the Crown before the train back south?

 

A longer distance train trip is definitely in the plan for tomorrow. I went to Cultra last year so might head in a different direction. I haven’t been to Sligo or Rosslare for a very long time so might do one of those. No interesting traction to be had now though. Last time I went to either it was baby GMs and Mk2s or Cravens!
If I did Rosslare I would probably stop off in Wexford for lunch. 

Alternatively I might look at a round trip to Limerick via Nenagh and Athenry, if that works in the timetable. 

Later I will work out the options. 

[Mol_PMB]

For the complex trip to Ennis, this looks plausible:

Heuston 0800 - Ballybrophy 0853

Ballybrophy 0900- Limerick 1043

Limerick 1230 - Ennis 1309

Ennis 1459 - Galway 1616

Galway 1720 - Heuston 2000

Ennis appeals because I knew the place well 35 years ago but have hardly been back since. I bet it’s changed a bit since my 1980s childhood memories of currant buns and choc-ices in the square overlooking the Fergus!

Hopefully there’s somewhere to get a pub lunch.

Do I recall correctly that it’s @Horsetan country? 

[Tractionman]

28 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

Heuston 0800 - Ballybrophy 0853

Ballybrophy 0900- Limerick 1043

Limerick 1230 - Ennis 1309

Ennis 1459 - Galway 1616

Galway 1720 - Heuston 2000

What could possibly go wrong!

No seriously , looks like a plan to me, good idea to head west, nice jaunt through the landscape and a few changing trains

[Mol_PMB]

Starting on a loco-hauled set, there’s only one tight connection and I think a backup option via the Junction if there is a miss at Ballybrophy. 
It will be good to see how Ennis has changed, and to see the new station at Galway. 
And time for a pint or several on the way round. 

I’d still rather have my head down in the archives, but that’s no longer an option. 

I will be pining for the old days though. The lines around Limerick used to be all baby GMs. But then you couldn’t get up to Galway then, and services were much less frequent. 

[Mol_PMB]

By chance, my first train today is hauled by the third orange loco of my trip:

The fourth orange loco isn’t yet in service, and I doubt I’ll find the Arrow as I’m not going to Cork.