From Cork to Toronto

Via Archiseek among other places I learn the Railway Procurement Authority are looking at a light rail system for Cork . The routes most likely would be on the southwest of the city, taking in UCC and Ballincollig via the " straight road ", a candidate for light rail if there was ever one given its bullet straight alignment, with a spur to CIT and the Regional Hospital - perhaps a loop along Wilton Road, Curraheen Road, Melbourne Road and a new alignment in the area between the industrial estate at Model Farm Road and a junction with the other line at Carrigrohane Road . The tricky part, as has always been the case when discussing south side light rail in Cork (north side is all about steep gradients and rock throwing louts) is what to do about getting it into/out of the city centre and its narrow streets. I'm thinking especially about the bridge here and the route between there and Washington Street which is currently parallel one-ways in part. Then do you route it t...

Apparently Sonia O'Sullivan has acquired Australian citizenship so she can try out for Australia in the Commonwealth Games 5,000 metres (for those readers who don't know, Ireland has not been in the Commonwealth since the 40s). The games are being held in Melbourne in March where she has a home. She has pledged to never run against Ireland however. I have no doubt she will be as top an Aussie as she is an Corkonian.

Cork airport 's never had it easy really. Stuck on top of a hill, public transport links dubious, god awful when it rains. Runway 17/35 maybe a little short for direct transatlantic, and too sloping over the end for a Category III instrument landing system . 07/25 cut off by the Kinsale Road so only for the smallies. Fog all the time, cue excursions to Kerry, Dublin and Shannon. Meanwhile the airport gains its (kind of) independence from Dublin but loses key personnel, promised airbridges and promised debt-free beginnings. But it's Cork's and not doing too badly in attracting more traffic, especially since Jetmagic persuaded Aer Lingus that people actually wanted to go somewhere other than Heathrow and Amsterdam. We were getting a new terminal which hopefully wouldn't involve incoming passengers to wait on the apron in the freezing cold/wet/wind because of an overflowing immigration queue, missing flights because of check-in queues etc. Michael O'Leary offere...