A Newry man in his 80s has voiced his frustration with Translink after enduring what he described as an overcrowded train journey home from the Fleadh in Belfast.
Jerome Mullen, 83, the honorary consul for Poland in Northern Ireland, attended the festival with his wife before boarding the 7pm Enterprise service to Newry on Thursday evening.
Although Translink introduced additional Enterprise services during the event, Mr Mullen believes the measures failed to cope with passenger demand.
Speaking about the journey, he said the train was packed, with no seats available for him or his wife, forcing them to remain standing for the duration of the trip.
He said he contacted Translink the following morning to complain, arguing that the rail operator had not put on enough services to accommodate the large crowds travelling home from the festival.
Mr Mullen described conditions on board as extremely uncomfortable, particularly given both he and his wife are in their 80s. He said the train was crowded throughout, making the journey difficult despite otherwise having enjoyed their time at the Fleadh.
While he praised fellow passengers for being courteous and respectful, he said the experience left him deeply dissatisfied.
Looking ahead to the return of the Fleadh to Belfast next year, Mr Mullen argued that overcrowding on trains should be treated as a safety concern. He claimed passengers were gathered around doorways and suggested that an emergency stop could have resulted in injuries.
He also said maintaining balance during the journey proved challenging, even though he considers himself reasonably fit for his age.
In response, Translink said demand for public transport during the festival had been exceptionally high. The company reported more than one million passenger journeys during the first five days of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, representing an increase of around 275,000 compared with the same period last year.
A spokesperson said a special transport timetable had been introduced and capacity significantly increased for the event, with all available resources being deployed to meet demand.
The company acknowledged that buses and trains have been particularly busy during peak travel periods. Where services become full, passengers may occasionally be required to wait for additional vehicles brought into service to ease demand.
Translink thanked customers for their patience throughout the festival and directed passengers seeking further information to www.translink.co.uk/fleadh.
