cultivate.ie

Reviving Rural Rail

What kind of visitors might be attracted?

• Overseas visitors based in the capital without a car
• Visitors looking for the real Ireland, rather than the usual tourist honey pots
• Visitors looking for sustainable transport options
• Families and visitors for whom rail travel is a novelty
• Dubliners who do not own a car, including many young professionals
• Walkers and cyclists.

Such visitors can build their schedules around existing rail timetables and can make a valuable contribution to passenger numbers and ticket receipts. This in turn helps to make the case for improved services – which in turn attract more passengers, in both directions.

This is a proven method of reviving rural rail services. It works best when all elements of the local community work with the railway company to promote and market the line in a Community Rail Partnership. This the key to success.

Our opening speaker on Saturday, who founded the UK-based Association of Community Rail Partnerships, will focus on this aspect. (See www.acorp.uk.com for some success stories.) Other speakers will cover a range of complementary approaches to developing rail-based tourism.

Outline of Programme

Friday 17th June 2011

6.00pm – 7.45pm   Registration

7.45pm   Mr. Alan Kelly, Junior Minister for Public and Commuter Transport

8.00pm  Seminar Dinner | After Dinner Speaker Mr. Don Cunningham, Director, New Works, Irish Rail

Saturday 18th June  2011

9.30am – 10.00am Registration

10.00am  - 10.45am Dr. Paul Salveson AcoRP

10.45am – 11.00am | Tea/Coffee

11.00am - 11.20am  Mr. Joe McGrath  
North Tipperary County Manager

11.20am - 11.40am | Lorraine Grainger
Green tourism packages

11.40 am – 12.30pm | Mr. Jim Deegan, Manager, Rail Tours Ireland /
Mr. John G O’Dwyer, Travel Writer

12.30pm – 1.30pm | Lunch

1.30pm – 5.00pm | Rail Tours Ireland, guided tour of Lough Derg lakeshore places of interest with local guides Mr. Declan Collison, walks and adventure holiday’s organizer; Liam Maloney, Lough Derg Yacht Club and Mr. John McNamara, Fly-fishing on the Shannon

5pm  Return to Nenagh by train from Castleconnell

Sunday 19th June 2011

10am – 11.00am | Guided Nenagh historical walk

11am | Seminar close

Seminar Fee:  €170

Bookings may be made to:

Dr. Duncan Martin
Nenagh Rail Partnership
24 Townsfield
Cloughjordan
Co. Tipperary

0505/42087. 086/8377906

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Seminar organisers reserve the right to change any of the details of this programme to facilitate the safe and efficient running of this event.