Tag: Ireland

Irish Citylink Extends Its Partnership As The Official Transport Partner To Galway GAA!

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Irish Citylink, one of Ireland’s leading providers of inter-city coach services has announced that it is set to continue its partnership as the “Official Transport Partner to Galway GAA” for a further three years. The extension of the transportation company’s contract with Galway GAA is testament that community is at the heart of everything for the team at Irish Citylink as it continues to explore how to positively impact the communities it serves. The announcement comes as the GAA season is set to begin this weekend. 

(Pictured left to right: Sean Kenny (Senior Football), Conor Whelan (Senior Hurling), Robert Finnerty (Senior Football). 

Irish Citylink, which will celebrate 20 years in operation in April, has remained at the top of its league thanks to their commitment to improving the communities it serves which provides its passengers consisting of students, regular work commuters, sports fans, holiday makers and more with reliability of service and comfort, at an affordabl

“Irish Citylink are delighted to be extending our partnership with Galway GAA as the Official Transport Partner. Our top of the range luxury coaches and frequent direct services are a perfect match for these top class hurling and football teams. We were extremely proud to have driven these teams to success in 2022 and look forward to continued success in this partnership over the next three years”. 

Ciara Rosney Head of Marketing and Public Relations at Irish Citylink.

Irish Citylink is a leading provider of inter-city coach travel since 2003. The company’s distinctive blue and yellow coaches have come to be associated with luxurious, reliable and affordable coach travel. Over the years, the transportation company has grown its network of routes, and with the recent acquisition of GoBus in 2022, it can now provide more flexibility to its customers with a combined 44 daily services connecting Galway with Dublin City and Dublin Airport as well as their routes serving Limerick, Cork, Clifden and Ballina, 364 days a year. 

“Galway GAA are delighted to extend our Official Transport Partnership with Citylink for a further three years. Citylink have provided an excellent service to our teams in 2022 and we look forward to working with them into the future. Citylink have shown a strong commitment to the promotion of GAA in the county and are an outstanding fit as our Official Transport Partner “. 

Mark Gottsche, Operations & Finance Manager, Galway GAA.

Festive Activities in Galway this Christmas

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Image of Galway at the market. Big white feris wheel.

The countdown is on until the holidays are here, and we are looking forward to when we get time to spend with those we hold dear. Days out with our loved ones can bring so much cheer this time of year, so we have found some fun-filled festive activities in Galway for you to try!

The Famous Galway Christmas Market

As we all know, the Galway Christmas market is one of the best things in Galway this time of year to feel that holiday spirit. Containing various stalls with an array of crafts and gift ideas, along with mountains of good food and drink options to choose from.

Enjoy a magical walk through the enchanted light gardens with friends and family, which can make for the perfect insta photo!

Festiva Afternoon Tea at the G Hotel

Next up is the G-Hotel’s Festive Afternoon Tea. With the weather being so cold, inside is where you want to be! Treat yourself in the run-up to the holidays with the delicious, savoury, and sweet treats they have to offer. Indulge in a selection of delicate sandwiches, including the festive-inspired sausage stuffing, walnut & sage croquette with a cranberry gel and turkey coronation & cranberry sandwich. Ooo, that sounds good!

The g’s pastry team have also curated a host of treats for the occasion, such as the traditional Christmas pudding, baileys and a salted caramel yule log. Why not go wild and absolutely spoil yourself with a refreshing glass of Taittinger Champagne? It’s exactly what you deserve.

Elftown

If you’re looking for something the whole family can enjoy, look no further than Elftown for a truly magical experience. A 2-hour Christmas experience set over 3 different buildings, with the mystical journey set over 4 floors.

And, at the end of your journey, you and your family get a private visit with Santa! Who is the most realistic and authentic Santa you will find in all the land. Children will be amazed when he knows a little secret about each child.

Every child will receive an Elf Town branded gift pack with an official invite from Santa to Elf Town this year. They have a unique Golden ticket and map of Elf Town addressed to the children and delivered by reindeer post before your booking date. All are included with your ticket purchase.

Last-minute stocking fillers from the Sock Society

If you’re looking to do some last-minute shopping to fill your stockings, we recommend hunting down a pair of the Sock Societies socks. Designed right here in Galway, these are the coolest, most colourful and funny socks you could find! These guys know exactly how to bring your feet to life and would make the perfect gift.

Don’t miss out on the festive fun! Book your journey NOW at Irish Citylink or Gobus to enjoy any of these festive activities with your loved ones over the holiday season!

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Fun things to do in Athlone!

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IMAGE: Athlone City.

Athlone is the gem in the centre of Ireland. With Dublin to the east and Galway to the west, Athlone is the perfect middle point. Loaded with great shopping and beautiful surroundings, it’s the ideal place for a day trip or to visit for a weekend.

Athlone is served by Citylink’s Multi-Stop 763 Route, which provides services from Athlone to Dublin, Galway, and many towns between the two. Citylink has recently joined as proud Athlone Chamber of Commerce members and enjoys being part of the community. For those unfamiliar with Athlone, we thought we’d give you an idea of what you can do and see in this beautiful town in the heart of Ireland.

Food & Drink

Athlone is lucky to have a great selection of food and drink places to choose from, from fine dining to little coffee shops – all of which are perfect for a trip to the town. Here are some great spots we’d recommend.

IMAGE: The exterior of Gertie Browne's in Athlone City
IMAGE: Pizza and a dip
IMAGE: Two glasses of wine with corks around the bottom of the glasses from Il Collesseo
IMAGE: Outside exterior of Poppy Fields. Red door and windows with white tables and chairs outside.

Poppy Fields is a cute place to go for breakfast. Poppy Fields’ menu boasts a great selection of foods, with four Hot Specials available daily to compliment the regular menu. They also offer healthy options every day, which are really delicious. In addition, Poppy Fields makes its own bread, scones, and cakes and offers an all-day breakfast option. 

Lunch is essential when you’re roaming around and shopping. We love Bastion Kitchen in Athlone. They offer a vast range of healthy options, which are so tasty. Not only is it a great place to pop in for a bite, but they also have a range of sustainable items for sale, so you can take the Bastion Kitchen journey with you! Check out their site for their range of goods.

There are so many options when it comes to dinner and drinks! Our team members have a few options for eating: Dead Centre Brewing, Gertie Browns (Hatter’s Lane), or Il Collesseo for dinner. Dead Centre is more chill vibes, and who doesn’t love a pizza and craft beer combo. Their selection of beers is really cool too! Then you have Gerties/Hatters or Il Collesseo, which are excellent for a more formal-style, sit-down meal.

Shop Til You Drop

Athlone has some top-quality shopping – from boutique stores to shopping centers, full of great outlets. Golden Island is a firm staple of the Athlone retail scene and offers shoppers some great choices from Penneys, Born, Park Jewellers, and more! In addition, you’ll find great shopping spaces in the center of town, including Athlone Towncentre, a mall with a whole host of shops and cafes.

There are a lot of neat boutiques around the town, so it is well worth spending a couple of hours wandering around, popping in and out – you’ll definitely find a good bargain for yourself!

Get Active!

IMAGE: Bay Sport inflatable course out in the water.

Many outdoor activities require good weather – which can be hard to come by in Ireland. Nevertheless, we’ve decided to mention a few outdoorsy things and fun activities you can do in Athlone!

Bay sports, just on the outskirts of Athlone, is pure fun for all the family with its giant inflatables out in the water at the Hodson Bay Hotel. If you’ve ever seen the show “Total Wipeout” and wanted to try it out, this place would be perfect for that. Hodson Bay is a great spot for leisure and water activities.

Nearby, for the golfers, is Athlone Golf Club, a great course to play and take in the sights and sounds of the Midlands.

If you start discovering Athlone, be it for a day of shopping at Golden Island, to sample the delicious cuisine at Dead Centre Brewing, or to enjoy some of the outdoor activities, be sure to share your pictures and #DiscoverAthlone

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Irish Citylink completes acquisition of GoBus!

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With the acquisition of GoBus, Irish Citylink will become one of the largest private land transport companies in Ireland.

Irish Citylink, a wholly owned subsidiary of ComfortDelGro group headquartered in Singapore, has successfully completed the purchase of GoBus from its present owners. The acquisition marks a significant step forward for the company in expanding its network throughout Ireland. 

On reviewing the market to identify companies that offer an excellent level of service, it was imperative to choose a company whose values and reputation aligned with the core values and level of service Citylink is known for. GoBus epitomizes these values that are important to our company and passengers. 

David Conway, Regional Director of Irish Citylink, commented, “Having navigated the challenges of COVID-19 and as we are rebuilding and expanding the range of services we offer to the traveling public, the addition of the GoBus network will enable us to provide significantly more options to both Citylink and GoBus customers. This enhanced network of services will encourage more people to travel via public transport and support our greater green agenda of moving towards a sustainable public transport network”.

The acquisition of GoBus fits into Citylink’s strategy to become the largest operator of intercity coach services in Ireland. GoBus’ convenient services and fleet of modern and comfortable coaches, alongside Citylink’s premium and reliable services, provide major opportunities for the company to become the largest intercity coach operator in Ireland. 

When asked about the acquisition, Frances Cahill, General Manager of Irish Citylink, commented, “This is just the beginning – The acquisition of GoBus brings so many new opportunities to the business in terms of employment, funding for local sponsorships, and the services we can provide for our passengers. We are absolutely delighted to bring two reputable transport providers together to provide an expanded network of routes and an even better customer experience for our current and future passengers!”

The stories behind Irish Citylink and GoBus

Irish Citylink first began right in the heart of Galway almost 20 years ago. The company’s distinctive blue and yellow coaches have become synonymous with high-quality, reliable, and affordable coach travel. In the beginning, Citylink ran up to 12 daily services between Galway and Dublin. Since then, they have expanded their business and network of routes to over 100 daily direct, express, and multi-stop services across all routes. Over 150 people are employed in the provision of Irish Citylink’s services in Galway, Dublin, Limerick, and Cork.

GoBus was established in 2009 and operates frequent and flexible coach services across three main routes serving Galway, Dublin, Cork, and Ballina. GoBus prides itself on offering flexibility and the best in comfort and safety on board.

Pairing GoBus with Citylink’s mission to connect Ireland’s towns, cities, villages, and airports across the nation by providing reliable travel is both ambitious and vital. Particularly as the need for public transport increases each year.

Irish Citylink operates a range of services in Galway, Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Clifden, Loughrea, Athlone, Ballinasloe, and more. The company currently carry over 28,000 passengers per week across all routes which is forecasted to surpass 35,000 later this year. With these numbers in mind, it is clear that transport is an essential and vital service in today’s society. With this acquisition, Irish Citylink is determined to create a reality where transport is more accessible in Ireland than ever before!

For more information on how this acquisition will affect Irish Citylink and GoBus’ customers, please click here.