The train had been chartered for a DCU society trip to Galway on Monday.
Irish Rail have claimed that they were forced to take a train out of service after it was left in a “horrific state” following a DCU Society event on Monday.
According to the DCU student newspaper The College View, 300 students travelled from Dublin to Galway on Monday night as part of a joint society event on an Irish Rail train that had specifically been chartered for the students.
A spokesperson for Irish Rail told the newspaper that the train had to be subsequently taken out of service as it had to be deep cleaned having been left in “a horrific state” with vomit, other fluids and even a used condom found on board.
Pic via Irish Rail
Irish Rail services were disrupted and another planned DCU event for next week has been cancelled as a result.
Spokesperson for Irish Rail, Jane Cregan, told The College View: “The train was left in a horrific state. There was vomit and other fluids throughout the train and even a used condom.
“The lack of respect that was shown for our train on Monday night was totally unacceptable,” Cregan added.
“We have therefore taken the decision not to run the planned DCU student charter that was supposed to operate next week.”
Pic via Irish Rail
Security staff employed by the DCU Students’ Union were on board the train from Dublin to Galway and while Una Redmond of the Office of Student Life said that no specific incidents were reported, she did tell The College View that she had heard that “the train was messy” and that “there was sick and whatever on the floors”.
Redmond also added that “there was one toilet among 160 drunk students” and Irish Rail have confirmed that two toilets on board the train were out of service.
Redmond and Siobhan Byrne from DCU Clubs and Socs plan to discuss the incident with Irish Rail, who have run a number of similar trips with Trinity College in the past without encountering any problems.
One of the societies involved in the trip declined to comment to The College View when requested to do so, while Irish Rail have denied that any legal action will take place and said that they will be dealing with DCU to resolve the matter.
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