Meet the Kent staff who keep the Cork rail station on track

It is a Thursday morning in early May and business as usual at Cork Kent railway station.

As commuters go about their normal day, there is a huge contingent of staff in the background keeping everything ticking over.

Now, the station is bracing itself for a major new infrastructure project in the coming years.

The Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme will be the largest investment ever in the Cork rail network.

The frequency of service on the Midleton, Cobh, and Mallow lines will be increased, with the long-term aim of creating a reliable, regular, Dart-style train system for Cork.

A planning application has been submitted for a new station in Blackpool, to be followed soon by an application for a Dunkettle station.

The Cork Irish Rail staff will be crucial to the implementation. There are many of them in many roles.

Aisling O’Leary did not plan to become a train driver, but one evening while scrolling through Facebook, an advert appeared that changed her career path.

“It never even crossed my mind until I saw the ads come up on my Facebook,” Aisling said.

“The freedom of being on your own; you have full control and the headspace. That is probably the most enjoyable thing.

“Knowing that you are in charge of such a big engine, loads of carriages, and knowing that everything falls down to you at the end of the day, there is something really cool about that.”

Ms O’Leary would encourage any woman to be a train driver.

“I think that women are starting to realise that it is a lot more accessible to women. It is not the male-dominated role that people think it is.

“The attitude from the lads inside, and you see it at all of the depots, we are just drivers. You are not going in feeling inferior in any way.”

Dave Desmond, who has been a shunter in Cork since 1997, is a prime example of an Irish Rail worker who goes unseen, but who is integral to the daily operations of the station.

He keeps the railway networks running efficiently.

Dave says: “I would describe it as being responsible for the trains, whereas other staff are responsible for the passengers. It is, basically, like a pre-departure check.”

“I have always enjoyed shunting. It is a lot different today than it was when I first took the job. Trains are always checked out and we check them every morning.

“If anything is wrong, the train doesn’t depart.”

The demand for trains is increasing. Irish Rail passenger journey figures show this. The numbers on the Cork-to-Midleton service rose by 78.5% between 2019 and 2025. Similarly, on the Cork-to-Mallow line, passenger numbers increased by 81.8% between 2019 and 2025.

One of the first people to greet passengers on their arrival to Cork Kent station is the ticket checker, Pat Healy.

Pat says: “We are all a link on the chain that keeps the station moving. The best part of my role is the interaction with customers.”

“You are meeting everybody from all walks of life. I am here 36 years now and I have had a good life here. I am retiring at Christmas.

“Cruise ships are coming in constantly. You are meeting them and they want to know about the city. We are the first people they meet. You are at the coalface there and they want a friendly face.”

Although he has been able to meet many famous personalities and celebrities, the one person who stands out the most for him was a certain iconic Cork broadcaster.

“The best one I ever had here was our own Bill O’Herlihy. Bill was a lovely man and he knew so much about the railway.

“I find the people they call celebrities are usually very nice and approachable.”

Vincent Prendergast is an executive in the revenue protection unit at Kent.

His job is to make sure everyone has a valid ticket for journeys.

Vincent says: “We issue fixed-penalty notices in the event of someone not having a ticket for their journeys. The goal of my role, really, is to protect Irish Rail’s revenue the best we can.”

Vincent says that 23 fines were issued to Kent station passengers the day before we spoke.

“The most enjoyable part of my role is that I work with a very good team.

“The plus side of our job is that we are out and about every day meeting passengers.”

“The role is also very customer-service-orientated. From match days, to liners in Cobh and concerts, we are an auxiliary to the station staff.”

Another man with a significant role is Roy Galvin, service delivery supervisor.

Roy says: “I am, basically, the gateway to safety for drivers, for them to go out onto the trains and to operate trains safely.”

Roy is responsible for the management and support of the 82 train drivers based out of the depots in Cork, Mallow, and Tralee.

He must also ensure that all drivers comply with operational procedures and the safety management system, and he is the first point of contact for drivers regarding rostering, compliance, and operational matters, along with supporting the delivery of a safe and reliable rail service, in line with company standards.

Overseeing the operation at Cork Kent is the station manager, Ray Foley, who outlines why he is proud to hold this position.

Ray says: “It has to be the variety of the tasks that I have to perform. Interacting with customers and staff. No day is the same. In the last 45 years of my service, I have never seen two days the same.

“The most enjoyable thing is interacting with the customers and hearing their stories. Some of them are very sad and some of them are very happy.

“Whether people travelling picking up lotto winnings, or people travelling because of tragedy. ... mixing with the public has to be the best.”

Mr Foley said that a career working in the rail industry was written in the stars for him.

“I was born into it, really. My grandfather was in the railway, my father was in the railway, and I am in the railway.

“By the time I retire, there will be something like 120-odd years of service between the three generations.

“So it is something I grew up with as a very young child, down on the Youghal line in Killeagh, down there with my father at the level crossings and in the station.

“It is something I am very passionate about, even to this day.”