I was in N.U.I. Maynooth earlier this week, where I gave a guest lecture on social media. The lecture title was ‘socialnomics’ and I focused on technology and particular the web was changing the world and how it could and should be used by organisations. I can share the slides with anyone interested, just drop me a line.

I was in town (Dublin) in the afternoon, back to the day job, so rather than drive back to Sallins for the regular commute I decided to park up at Maynooth rail station and get the train in from there. I used get the train to Maynooth all the time, back in the distant past of the nineties, when my wife was a student there and I was in lil old Trinity up the road, but it had been a while. It’s a decent little station. Small sandwich shop and newsagents beside the ticket desk and modern conveniences like an electronic next train display. Parking was a bit mad with a very linear strip running alongside the canal - had to go to the very end to get a spot and queueing for little while coming out later on. Pay parking was in operation at the rate of €2 a day, €8 a week, same as Sallins except for the extra option of paying €30 for a four week ticket. The machines were branded CIE rather than Euro Parks, which might allow more flexibility re the tariff options.

A day return to Connolly was €6 so the trip cost me €8 in total. Still a lot cheaper than driving to town but maybe slightly more than I expected. Of course regular trippers will have annual or monthly tickets so likely to work out much better. And Maynooth benefits from being considered inside the commuter zone for Irish Rail so on a per mile basis is better value than Sallins, Newbridge or even Hazelhatch stations.

Good timetable, lots of trains, mine was punctual. Busy though, even middle of the day. I gather this Northern line has less of the punctuality difficulties that trouble its Southern cousin (i.e. the Sallins line) which is obviously a good thing. However given we are currently at a passenger low point, due to recession etc the car park was still brimming over, and there wasn’t a huge amount of spare seating – I imagine the service may struggle under normal / peak conditions. One to watch in future.PS If there are any Maynooth rail groups reading (are there any?) feel free to get in touch, we might compare notes.