Ireland

Singer Damien Dempsey joins rail line trespass campaign

Singer Damien Dempsey has joined a campaign against rail line trespass following a near fatal childhood incident. The 45-year-old performer has joined forces with Iarnród Éireann to highlight the dangers of trespass on the railway line, as school holidays begin for thousands of children
Singer Damien Dempsey has joined a campaign against rail line trespass following a near fatal childhood incident. The 45-year-old performer has joined forces with Iarnród Éireann to highlight the dangers of trespass on the railway line, as s Singer Damien Dempsey has joined a campaign against rail line trespass following a near fatal childhood incident. The 45-year-old performer has joined forces with Iarnród Éireann to highlight the dangers of trespass on the railway line, as school holidays begin for thousands of children

SINGER Damien Dempsey has joined a campaign against rail line trespass following a near fatal childhood incident.

The performer has joined forces with Iarnród Éireann to highlight the dangers as school holidays begin for thousands of children.

Dempsey features in one of a series of videos, which has been shared with schools adjacent to the DART line.

In the video, the singer recalls how he and a friend were almost killed by a train as a child when trespassing.

He also encourages young people to focus on their passions, which for him was music.

DART driver Aidan Martin, who grew up in the railway community of Kilbarrack, also talks about what it means to him and other train drivers when they see children putting themselves in harm's way.

So far, in 2021, on the Republic's rail network, there have been 28 near misses, in which drivers had to brake to avoid striking trespassers.

A spokesman for Iarnród Éireann said: "Trains and railways are central to our communities, and hold a fascination for many children in particular.

"However, in a minority of cases, railways can become a venue which see incidents of trespass or anti-social behaviour develop," he said.

"All such situations pose a risk to those involved, or to others using the railway. Trains cannot swerve, and take an extended distance to come to a complete halt, so for anyone trespassing the risk of serious injury or death is clear.

"Iarnród Éireann thanks schools for ensuring awareness of the dangers of trespass, and calls on parents of children who live adjacent to railway lines to ensure that our railways, and most importantly our children, are kept safe."