‘Major disruption' to Dart services after overhead lines damaged during vegetation works
All
Dart
services have been suspended between Landsdowne Road and Dún Laoghaire in
Dublin
after overhead lines were damaged during vegetation works.
It is understood overhead lines between Booterstown and Blackrock were damaged on Wednesday afternoon during vegetation maintenance works on the line.
Irish Rail
said there has been a 'major disruption to Dart services' and staff are on-site working to rectify the issue.
It said knock-on delays of more than 25 minutes can be expected to Dart and commuter services through the city centre due to congestion on the line.
READ MORE
Services are currently operating between Howth/Malahide and Landsdowne Road as well as from Greystones to Dalkey.
Services from Dún Laoghaire to Dundalk, Bray to Drogheda and Bray to Maynooth, meanwhile, are expected to start from Connolly Station.
Irish Rail said Dublin Bus services are honouring rail tickets while the services are suspended.
Services to and from Rosslare are now departing and terminating at Bray with bus transfers being arranged.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Extra.ie
11 hours ago
- Extra.ie
9 of the most breathtaking hidden Irish beaches to visit this summer
While it has been a rainy few days, the weather is set to improve once more in the coming days, and a trip to the beach might be in order sooner than we may think. However, instead of heading to your local beach or favourite seaside spot, why don't you explore some of the hidden gems that the island of Ireland has to offer? Dotted around the country and boasting stellar views, Ireland's hidden seaside locations are something to behold, but are not as well known because they are—well—hidden! Pic: Google Maps Nestled between the Howth Cliffs, offering some of the clearest waters around the country, the Tiny Hidden Beach is a secret gem adored by locals in the Dublin 13 area. Getting to the beach is an adventure in itself, with only a tight, narrow and steep trail leading down to the waterside—when you see the views, the walk is worth it! The stunning spot is only a short drive, DART or Dublin Bus journey from the city centre and surrounding suburbs. Public transport gets you to Howth Summit in approximately 25 minutes—an ideal day out with less than 30 minutes of travel. Count us in. Once you get there, you'll realise that there is nothing better than having the beach all to yourself. Pic: Shutterstock Dog's Bay Beach in Co Galway should definitely make your list of 'must-visit' beaches around Ireland. Quietly nestled into the Galway coast, the white sandy beach boasts tropical looking waters, ideal for a swim when the sun makes an appearance. Miles and miles of the stunning West Coast can be taken in from the quiet shores of Dog's Bay while you enjoy some peace and quiet on this hidden gem that not many are aware of. Located just 90 minutes from Galway City Centre and under 30 minutes from Clifden, it makes for a great summer day out for those looking to explore Ireland's stunning coastline in peace. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cork Daily (@cork_daily) Next, we head to the south of the country, where it is no secret that the views are unparalleled, and Silverstrand is no exception. Hidden on the must-visit Sherkin Island, Silver Strand is just a short ferry crossing from Baltimore. It offers lush, sandy beaches and some of Ireland's most stunning sea views. An extra treat on arrival is sure to be uninterrupted views of Cape Clear Island as you relax in the tranquillity of the island, hidden away from the pressures of working life—Sounds Fabulous! Keem Bay. Pic: Shutterstock Keem Bay is most definitely one of the true wonders of the Irish landscape, tucked into the scenic coast of Achill in the breathtaking surroundings of West Co Mayo. Framed by a magical landscape, the journey to Keem Bay will be just as enjoyable as the location itself. Keem Bay offers a host of surfing activities and schools, so the watersports enthusiast will be in their element—who knows, the odd basking shark or dolphin might pop up to the surface to say hello. Killiney Beach, Dublin. Pic: Colin Keegan/ Collins. Almost everyone in Dublin knows that a day out in Dalkey or Killiney is a right of passage when the sun comes out. With the 40-foot just a short walk away, it's the perfect afternoon out—or is it? Located just south of Killiney, down below the breathtaking views of Killiney Hill and the refreshing Vico Road walkway, lies Killiney Beach, and it is truly something! Ideal for a stroll, sunbathing or a swim, Killiney Beach offers picturesque sandy shores and views stretching from Howth all the way down to Bray in Co Wicklow, which was recently placed in the top 25 list of underrated travel destinations. Inchydoney Beach. Pic: Shutterstock A second entry for the Cork Coast and located just 90 minutes from the City Centre, Inchydoney is a sight to behold. Take a walk along the stunning beaches rife with natural beauty and expansive golden sands that will make you feel like you're in a luxury holiday destination. Why not make a weekend of it? Check into the elegant Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa and take in the amazing views of the untouched sand dunes from your private balcony. Fanore Beach. Pic: Shutterstock If you're planning to visit popular tourist attractions like the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher, why not add a hidden jewel to your travel plan? Located just outside the small village of Fanore, nestled in Galway Bay, the Co Clare beach offers everything you could want for a relaxing day by the sea. With breathtaking views and ample opportunities for relaxation, it promises to be a truly serene experience for those looking for tranquility this Bank Holiday. Burrow Beach. Pic: Shutterstock A second entry for Dublin 13, Burrow Beach or The Hole in the Wall, is the lesser-known neighbour of Claremont Beach. Hidden from plain sight, with postcard-like views of Portmarnock, the soft, white sandy beaches and lack of a crowd make this the perfect hidden gem for those staying in the hustle and bustle of suburban Dublin this weekend. So, next time you're up for a trip to the beach and don't fancy facing the crowds in all of the hotspots, keep this quiet sandy haven just minutes from Howth, Portmarnock, Malahide and Sutton in mind! Derrynane Beach. Pic: Shutterstock Sheltered into the Kerry coast and tucked away from the public eye, Derrynane Beach is one of the many tremendous areas of natural beauty that the south has to offer. The bay is a renowned centre for all types of Watersports: swimming, diving, kayaking, canoeing, surfing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and, of course, sailing. Located in the natural harbour of Derrynane Bay, the quaint surroundings and tranquil location will take your breath away every time you step onto its unparalleled strands.
Irish Times
19 hours ago
- Irish Times
A magical Burren garden that is at one with the wider, wilder world around it
To reach Caher Bridge Garden, visitors must drive deep into the rural countryside of northwest Clare , through a landscape of powder-grey limestone hills criss-crossed by meandering drystone walls, and winding boreens fringed with hazel, willow and wild irises. Its owner, Carl Wright, first moved here from Devon almost 30 years ago, buying a semi-derelict old farmhouse that he proceeded to restore with the same exceptional combination of artistry and practicality that now defines its remarkable garden. Over the course of those three decades, he has barrowed more than 1,500 tonnes of soil on to the site, every bucketload painstakingly sieved by hand; built roughly one mile of stone walls; and created five separate water features within its leafy boundaries. Those numbers might suggest a garden where its maker's firm hand is obvious for all to see, but one of the many wondrous things about Caher Bridge is its sense of having naturally emerged from the scrubby native woodland that once covered the site, as if the wild, damp, stony landscape of Co Clare somehow willed it into existence. I don't think I've ever seen another garden – especially one as intensely gardened as this one – so completely at one and in tune with the wider, wilder world around it. Part of the reason for this is Wright's celebration of the natural elements that have shaped this deeply rural region of northwest Clare. Just yards from his home lies the river Caher, whose watery beauty he has elegantly accentuated with the construction of a 'moon window' fashioned from flat slabs of local limestone. One of the garden's best-known features, it frames a view of the steeply arching stone bridge that gives the garden its name. READ MORE Carl Wright moved to Clare from Devon 30 years ago Stone and water have also been artfully and sensitively used in the rear garden, which slopes steeply upwards and away from the farmhouse. Here the contours of the site are defined by the limestone karst that lies just inches below the surface, as well as the knee-high drystone walls that loop gently back and forth across the ground. Not only do the latter act as retaining walls for the top soil imported by Wright to create opportunities for planting, but they also provide a charming bone structure for the half-concealed, trickling streams and tiny pools that so beautifully punctuate the space. As for the planting, it's magical to the point of being profoundly moving. Somehow Wright has succeeded in pulling off that very rare thing, of being a plant collector whose fascination with rarities hasn't intruded upon his determination to be restrained in his use of plants. 'One of the most profound lessons I've learnt about making a garden is to treat the surrounding landscape, whatever that might be, as the all-important frame that defines what style of garden will be appropriate. What's outside any garden will always be bigger than what's inside it. So instead of starting by working from the inside out, which is a very common mistake, I've learnt that in fact you need to do the opposite.' Caher Bridge Garden For that same reason, colour is used very carefully at Caher Bridge, with bright shades of yellow, orange and red – 'nature's warning colours' – generally off bounds. 'I don't understand the obsession with colour, especially very vivid colours, which you generally don't see in the wild Irish landscape. It's so easy to get it wrong and create something that's restless and uneasy on the eye, when instead you can create an outstanding garden relying solely on green foliage plants.' That same ultra-disciplined approach to the art of garden making means Wright uses very few summer bedding plants – 'they generally don't look right in this space' – while certain favourite genera of plants, including hydrangea and crataegus, are grouped together for visual simplicity. Other favourites, such as hardy perennial geraniums, astilbe, primula, filipendula, hemerocallis, rodgersia, iris, camassia and narcissus, have been chosen for their suitability for this damp, cool, generally shady garden's growing conditions. Caher Bridge Garden The same is true of the more than 200 different varieties of fern he has used to fringe the edges of the narrow curling pathways that weave their way back and forth through the garden, eventually leading visitors upwards into the wildflower meadows and newly constructed stone tower or 'folly' overlooking the surrounding Burren landscape. A recent addition, its curving walls are embellished with faithfully reproduced copies of ancient stone heads carvings painstakingly hand-made by Wright (the originals can be found in historic sites around the country), while he similarly fashioned its graceful 'stone' architraves out of cast concrete. Wright, a keen caver and potholer as well as a professional ecologist, first came to this corner of Co Clare to work as a tour guide in the nearby Aillwee caves. But gardening, he says with joy and wonder, has become an enduring obsession, one that compels him to spend every available moment extending, refining and embellishing Caher Bridge, forever adding to its beauty. Caher Bridge Garden 'It started out of necessity, by clearing away decades of overgrowth from around the house so that I could get to work on rebuilding it,' he says. 'Then I realised the hazel woodland around it needed editing to allow more sunlight to filter through the windows. Now it's all I want to do, seven days a week.' His training in ecology has also given him precious insights into creating a nature-friendly garden rich in a diversity of wildlife-friendly habitats, where lizards, bats, frogs, dragonflies, cuckoos, chiffchaffs and field voles are common visitors. 'The stone walls, stream and pools also act as nature corridors, safe routes by which wildlife can move throughout the garden.' Is there anything he might do differently if he was starting out again? 'My only regret, a big one, is not designing the paths to be wide enough to allow easy access by machinery. The result is that every crumb of top soil, every stone, has had to be barrowed in by hand. I think,' he adds with a bitter-sweet laugh, 'I was just far too engrossed in what I was doing.' Caher Bidge garden is open to the public by prior arrangement – email caherbridgegarden@ or phone 065-7076225. This week in the garden Finish planting any remaining short-lived annuals or bedding plants outdoors in the garden or into pots, making sure to give them the best head-start in the shape of fertile, damp but well-drained soil. Presoaking their root-balls just before planting is also a good idea. Start side-shooting indeterminate/cordon varieties of tomato plants to prevent them from sprawling as well as to encourage production of their delicious fruits. Sideshoots are typically produced in the joint between the leaves and the main stem. Left unpruned, they will divert energy away from the important processes of fruit production and fruit ripening, as well as resulting in too much untidy growth. Dates for your diary Garden Show Ireland, Antrim Castle, continuing until Sunday, June 15th. Expert talks, displays, practical demonstrations, and plant sales. Limerick Garden Festival Limerick Milk Market, Sunday, June 15th. Guest speakers, practical demonstrations and plant sales.
Irish Times
19 hours ago
- Irish Times
Miriam Lord's Week: ‘As Timmy Mallett said to me...' Leinster House mystery VIP visitor revealed
Celebrity Corner. A reader sends an email this week with the tantalising subject line 'Leinster House VIP Visitor'. We couldn't wait to open it. Who might this be? Beyoncé? Jarvis Cocker? Diana Ross? Daniel O'Donnell? The King of Jordan? We're still not over Micheál Martin's Namedrop of the Week when he casually began a reply to a Dáil question on Tuesday with this classic: 'As the King of Jordan said to me at the weekend ...' READ MORE Daniel, our correspondent, cuts to the chase: 'I was visiting on Monday this week through my local TD when I spotted none other than Timmy Mallett from the BBC. He appeared to be receiving a VIP tour.' That's a name we weren't expecting. In fairness, it would be hard not to spot the colourful star of children's TV back in the 1980s and 1990s as he looks like an explosion in a paint factory. Daniel says he was 'quite surprised and a bit star-struck' to see Timmy in the corridors of power. 'I grew up watching him and have always been a fan. Unfortunately, despite him being only a few metres away, I wasn't allowed over to say hello, and I later heard he may have been brought to the Dáil bar as well,' Daniel says. Mr Mallet, we discovered, has been cycling around Ireland for the last few weeks and posting videos of his fascinating explorations on his social media platforms. His journey is in memory of his late brother Martin, who had Down syndrome and was a great inspiration to him. A huge number of people are following Timmy's progress, enjoying the images of Ireland's natural beauty he has been photographing and painting along the way. It's lovely stuff. Tourism Ireland should strike him a special medal. An Oireachtas staff member gave Timmy the guided tour as the Taoiseach was busy nattering on the phone to the Sultan of Brunei. And yes, Timmy did visit the Dáil bar and everyone thought he was a lovely man. It turns out that the TV presenter, author and painter met Micheál a few weeks ago when he was exploring Co Cork. The Taoiseach even took a spin on his bike before signing his travel journal. 'Wonderful to meet you Timmy. Thank you for all you do. Your belief in humanity inspires us all. Your love of Ireland is so appreciated. Thanks. Micheál Martin (Taoiseach).' Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Timmy Mallet's bike during the British TV celebrity's recent trip to Cork. Photograph: @TimmyMallett / X Here's a comment from Facebook about their encounter: 'They say you should never meet your heroes, but An Taoiseach appears to have handled it well.' A right royal family reunion We also missed the visit of Charles and Camilla this week. The pair of them were in the public gallery to watch Simon Harris take Leaders' Questions and later on they enjoyed a few gargles in the Dáil bar. They make a very handsome couple. Charles and Camilla were guests of the Fine Gael TD for Sligo-Leitrim, Frankie Feighan, who is awfully well connected. They attended Sligo races on Tuesday evening and Charles is off to Croke Park today (Saturday) to watch Leinster take on South Africa's Bulls in the United Rugby Championship final. 'Charles Withers-Clarke is my cousin,' Frankie explained. 'My Auntie Imelda [née Feighan] is his mother. She left Tubbercurry more than 60 years ago to work as a radiographer in Suffolk and she married Peter Withers, a local farmer and grain merchant. He died tragically in a plane crash in 1974.' Fine Gael's Frank Feighan TD. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire Peter was returning home after an England v France rugby international with 17 of his team-mates from Bury St Edmunds rugby club when their Turkish Airlines DC-10 crashed just outside Paris, killing all 346 people on board. It was the world's worst air disaster at the time. His son Charles – Frankie's cousin – and his American wife, Camilla, were married in Chesapeake Bay 25 years ago and they live in Bermuda with their four children, Alex, Eliza, Charlotte and Georgia. Imelda died last year aged 91 and the family is back in Sligo to spend some time up with their Irish relatives. And Deputy Feighan was thrilled to tell everyone on Thursday that he had none other than Charles and Camilla in Leinster House for the day. Picture tells a story This is a true story, but we cannot give names and timings for obvious reasons. It concerns a Government TD who recently hosted a group of students from a secondary school in the constituency on a trip to Leinster House. This is a very common practice. TDs and Senators regularly have school groups in for guided tours of the place. This occasion was no different. 'It was the usual thing. We had a great day out in Leinster House, learning about our national parliament and all of that kind of stuff. Then we had the group photo outside on the steps in front of the main door,' recalls the politician. It was a large senior-cycle group from a girl's secondary school. 'So that was all grand and I put the picture up on my social media, as you do, and the school put it up on their website as well.' All well and good. Lovely photo. 'So anyway, next thing is, I get a call from a woman saying she is the mother of one of the students who visited Leinster House. Then she asked: 'Why wasn't my daughter in that photograph?' She wasn't happy.' The politician was at a loss. As far as they were concerned, nobody was missing when the photo was taken. The teachers didn't look worried at the time and there were no stragglers. Maybe if she called the school, somebody there might be able to shed some light on what happened? 'So the mammy contacts me the following morning and says: 'I'm very sorry. I've just found out that she decided to go mitching for the day. It was nothing to do with you,'' says the politician. Turns out that the student brought in a makey-up note from home some days earlier explaining that she would not be able to go on the Leinster House tour. And then she bunked off for the day. 'But she didn't know there was going to be a group photograph and that her irate mammy would take up the cudgels on her daughter's behalf because she wasn't included.' Big cheeses rolled out for Bloomsday This is Bloomsday weekend, in advance of Bloomsday on Monday. So it's a long weekend. There are lots of events taking place around the capital city to celebrate the day immortalised in James Joyce's Ulysses. Full details of all the jolly japes being rolled out for the stripy jacket and straw boater brigade are readily available for those who want to miss them. President Michael D Higgins is holding a Bloomsday-themed garden party in the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin on Sunday. The South Co Dublin Ulysses villages of Sandycove and Glasthule are going all out as usual with a packed programme of hearty breakfasts, live cultural performances, readings, music and buckets of wine. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina hosting the Bloomsday Garden party in 2024. Photograph: Maxwell's The highlight of the day itself has to be the official opening of the festivities, which kick off at 7.30am and continue well into the night. In the 10am to 10.30am slot, trumpeter Niall O'Sullivan will play a fanfare to herald the merriment to come and the Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council will cut a ribbon. Sure that'll take no time at all. And here's the best bit. This is peak Sandycove/Glasthule. 'Gorgonzola cutting by Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill.' It's such an honour. Jennifer, holding a big knife, slicing into a big wheel of Gorgonzola, striking further fear in the hearts of hospital consultants. Some of her political colleagues must be jealous. 'Huh. Health Minister to spend half an hour cutting the cheese,' shrugged the source who drew our attention to it. Shady characters The hard-working ushers in Leinster House, when not conducting tours of the building or looking after needy politicians, make sure that life proceeds smoothly by keeping order on the premises and making sure people abide by the rules. A particularly busy and lively area is the long corridor which runs from the Visitors' Bar past the Members' Bar and on to the canteen and restaurants. The bars are on one side and the ground level entrance to the Dáil chamber is conveniently located on the other. There are always ushers stationed in the vicinity. And a constant source of complaint for them has been the quality of the light in that corridor, which witnesses so many comings and goings. They often found it difficult to make out the passes worn by visitors or quickly identify faces or get a proper look at groups of people coming out of the Dáil bar. This week, their campaign for more light finally came to fruition and now the corridor is noticeably brighter with new candle bulbs on the light fittings. Might be because of the couple of visitors who recently managed to slip off on a wander, pints in hand, before they were swiftly intercepted. Of course, there will always be people who say Leinster House is a shady place, no matter what wattage illuminates the halls.
