Our party mostly gathered again at Cork Kent station for the 07.00 train to Dublin (mercifully not quite as early as 06.05 from Belfast on Day 1!). As this was a day planned around service trains, a few members rendezvoused with the party later. A seat reservation system failure caused considerable confusion since it included the electronic coach letter display. This miraculously sprang into life shortly after we left Cork - a bit like a CrossCountry train on leaving Birmingham New Street sometimes (or sometimes not).

With Irish Rail (IR) 201 Class No232 'River Cummeragh' burbling quietly at the rear of the standard 8 coach Dublin to Cork set, a right time departure was made from Cork P5. Having avoided the blarney whilst passing through Blarney (!), the train was held before Killarney Jn to allow the 05.55 Tralee to Cork train to run off the Tralee line ahead of us into Mallow P3 to reverse. As our train proceeded into P2, the other train in the form of unit 22229 (IR 22000 Class Rotem) was disgorging its passengers to change to our train whilst gathering commuters from Mallow bound for Cork to the south.

Good onward progress allowed a right time arrival in Limerick Junction P1. At the time of our trip in May 2019 only this loop and the Up Main to Dublin was open here; the Down Main was closed during construction of the new P4 which opened on 25 Aug 2019. The party instinctively crossed over to unit 22251 sitting in P2 for Limerick. However, it fairly quickly dawned on the party, including our esteemed tour leader, that this was the wrong train (!). He had specifically organized that we catch the 07.40 from Thurles which reverses in Limerick Junction P1 and covers the link from it to Waterford Line Jn. After a short wait, unit 22306 arrived from the north and duly completed the connection.

Arrival into Limerick P1 involved passing a considerable number of redundant (?) freight wagons in the sidings on the north side of the station approach. The layout was much changed since previous visits due to remodeling with resignalling - in particular straightening out of the now wider P3. A quick cross platform interchange into 2800 Class unit 2813/14 in P2 and we were off again as the 08.40 to Ennis. This arrived right time at 09.20 at Ennis P1 where both platforms are bidirectional. Normal regulation would have seen this unit sit there until departure back to Limerick on arrival of the 10.00 to Galway (which we were due to catch) in loop P2. However, with no step free access to P2, we needed the 10.00 to arrive in P1 to facilitate the boarding of our wheelchair using member, so IR arranged for 2813/14 to shunt ECS to the south and return into P2. The 10.00 (unit 22251) duly arrived in and departed from P1 but, despite the best efforts of the Ennis IR member of staff directing passengers, the departure screens remained stubbornly showing the originally booked departure pattern!

Passing through the main at Gort P1, arrival at Athenry was in the main Down P1. Reversal was effected here and arrival at Galway Ceannt station was via the main reversible line (passing a departing Dublin bound unit sitting in the bidirectional loop just outside the station) and into bay P2 as normally used by Western Corridor services. The train terminated at the country end of the bay, facilitating passengers to exit via the long P1. The bay actually continues for several rusty train lengths further behind the station building towards a locked gate! To the right, behind the bay, could be seen the old Midland & Great Western Railway line track bed heading away towards Prospect Hill Tunnel (under the town), onto Shantalla and through Connemara to Clifden (a 49 mile branch), on the coast. Following the merger of all Irish Free State railways in 1924 into the Great Southern Railways, the line began a decline leading to its closure from 27 Apr 1935.

Your scribe, along with some other members, opted to join the 13.05 Dublin train from Galway P1 (thus completing it), formed of unit 22350. Awaiting its departure, another unit arrived at Galway and stabled in the carriage siding next to the departing train. Departure was via the main bidirectional line with Athenry arrival in the Up Loop P2 to cross the 11.25 arrival from Dublin, returning to Galway. This extra trip was an example of how useful and flexible the individual IR 4-day Trekker tickets were for us.

Meanwhile some spent the Galway break making an interesting circular tour of the fine city on the road train - complete with a commentary on points of interest. The (other) Galway Bay was included - and very attractive it was too - also passing Leisureland Express which we rode on 5 May 2018. The entire party joined the 13.45 from Galway to Limerick (unit 22251 again from the bay) arriving at Athenry in the main P1 and, following reversal, set off towards Ennis. At Gort, using the main P1, it was interesting to cross the impressive Grand Hibernian train waiting in loop P2. Again using the main P1 at Ennis, our train passed the 13.36 Limerick Junction to Galway in P2 loop (both are bidirectional).

Following arrival in Limerick P1, your scribe remained on the train which, like some services, was through to Limerick Junction for an earlier arrival back in Cork. Others remained with the party, taking a subsequent train to Limerick Junction, and then to Thurles, permitting later traversal of the 'Direct Curve', avoiding Limerick Junction, back to Limerick. Some even took the chance of a further traversal of the fascinating, often threatened line from Limerick via Birdhill and Nenagh to Ballybrophy.