Sir, – The news that €3 million is being spent on a temporary train station in Adare in preparation for the Ryder Cup is surely to be welcomed by the people of Adare (“Temporary train station costing €3m being built in Adare for Ryder Cup,” May 6th).
However, as the event in question will only last three days it could be viewed as an extravagance. If only other events received as much attention.
Just last week in Naas the annual Punchestown National Hunt Festival attracted record crowds for a five-day sporting event and many people travelled by train to the quaintly named Sallins/Naas Station.
On arrival at the station passengers were faced with waiting for the Iarnród Éireann minibus shuttle into Naas that ran hourly and could accommodate a dozen passengers, or taxis which were busily engaged ferrying passengers from Naas town centre to the racecourse.
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Or they could opt for a 40-minute walk to the town centre in the hope of getting a taxi to the racecourse or one of the privately run buses provided by various bars/ restaurants in the town.
It seems the folks in Adare Manor know better how to facilitate crowds for a one-off event as opposed to those running the Punchestown Festival for the last 150 years. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN MCMAHON,
Naas,
Co Kildare.
