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Editor's Viewpoint

Translink service a slap in the face for GAA fans

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Derry playing Clare in the All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final at Croke Park last month Expand

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Derry playing Clare in the All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final at Croke Park last month

Derry playing Clare in the All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final at Croke Park last month

©INPHO/James Crombie

Derry playing Clare in the All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final at Croke Park last month

Translink’s plans for bringing fans to the Derry versus Galway tie at Croke Park this weekend via Belfast highlight how the north west is not treated equally when it comes to public transport.

The lack of substantial rail and bus services connecting the north west with the rest of Northern Ireland, and the island of Ireland, has always been an issue. However, there isn’t much of an excuse given that a multi-million pound train station was opened in Derry only a few years ago.

Translink’s announcement that it will put on special services for Derry fans heading to the game — but departing and arriving from Belfast — is a slap in the face for GAA supporters.

The situation will in all likelihood mean fans will have to fork out for a stay in Belfast after arriving back in NI’s capital city following the game.

Situations like this raised by Translink’s special services for Saturday’s game shows that Stormont needs to get its act together when it comes to better connecting our citizens and promoting public transport in our climate-conscious world.

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