Patrickswell - Location and Transport

Location and Transport

The town is located near to the N20/N21 road, which until Patrickswell was bypassed in 2001, ran through the town centre. This road is now the R526 from west of the town to Limerick city. The town can be accessed at either end from the N20 junction for Limerick Racecourse, or the N20/N21 junction further west (where the R526 commences).

A railway line to Adare and Foynes passes alongside the town to the south, although Patrickswell station is long closed. The station was at one time Patrickswell Junction, with direct Limerick–Cork trains diverging here from the route of trains bound for Foynes, Newcastle West and Tralee. Freight trains from Limerick to/from Foynes ran until 2000, and technically the line is still open - though not passable all the way to Foynes (a bridge is in need of replacement). The last train was when the weedspray train visited the line on 7th May 2002. A inspection car was the last movement on the line, which travelled the line in January 2003. Passenger trains ceased in 1963, though passenger services to Croom, Bruree and Charleville on the Cork direct line ceased in 1934 finally closing in March 1967 and lifted soon afterwards. In November 1975 the Ballingrane–Tralee (North Kerry) line closed (see Irish railway history). Patrickswell railway station opened on 12 July 1856, closed for passenger traffic on 4 February 1963 and finally closed altogether on 2 December 1974. The signal cabin remained opened until 1982. Patrickswell Railway station is now in private ownership, it is home to Hutch Hollywood Engineers.A contemporary extension to the original railway station building was designed by O'Connor + Shanahan architects and won OPUS Building of the year award in 2004.