Kilkenny's MacDonagh Station adopts age-friendly approach

Kilkenny Station has become Ireland’s first age-friendly train station. Like its neighbour MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre,  MacDonagh station has now made improvements to make it more accessible for older citizens including more accessible parking spaces, tactile paving and a pedestrian crossing. It is  hoped that the initiative will be a template for the roll-out of age-friendly stations in the region and across the country into the future.   

MacDonagh Railway Station received its official Age Friendly Charter at a launch event on Monday November 21, and will now also be recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a model of good practice for age friendly stations. A case study publication was also launched by Age Friendly Ireland, outlining the work undertaken by Irish Rail and partners in the initiative. 

Led by Kilkenny County Council, the Kilkenny Age Friendly Alliance operates a thriving Age Friendly Programme. Kilkenny was the first city in Ireland to adopt the age friendly recognition process, while St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny was the first hospital to achieve age friendly status. The county also boasts a number of Age Friendly Towns in Thomastown, Callan and Kilkenny City where a specific programme of work has enhanced the social and built environment for the ageing demographic. An excellent Age Friendly Business Recognition programme is embedded with the Chamber of Commerce, with members undertaking training and listening to older customers to better meet their needs.

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The work in MacDonagh Railway Station was delivered through a partnership between Irish Rail, Kilkenny County Council, the Department of Transport, the National Transport Authority, and Age Friendly Ireland. The changes implemented in the station responded to a walkability audit carried out in February with support from older people and people with disabilities.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Malcolm Noonan TD, said: "From an environmental perspective, I very much welcome any initiative that shifts people’s mode of transport to public transport, as this has huge potential to save energy and reduce environmental pollution, taking traffic off the roads. Making a train station ‘age friendly’ means that it is more accessible and welcoming for everyone who uses it, particularly older people.”

The specific improvements made to the station include:

New pedestrian crossing

Age Friendly car parking spaces

Upgrade of disability parking spaces

Alterations to kerb to improve access

Landscaping

Safety decals on glass doors.

JAM (Just a Minute) cards used in the station and training for staff.

A key feature of this development was the opening of a new walkway which links the station with the adjacent MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre, significantly reducing the walking distance from the train to the shops.

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Speaking at today’s ceremony, Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick said: “Here in Kilkenny we want to support older people and others who have additional needs as much as possible. We take pride in delivering a top-class Age Friendly Programme that builds on its ambitious achievements year on year."

Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council Sean McKeown outlined further public realm works planned in the city and county to improve the quality of life of its citizens, he said, "As Chair of the Age Friendly Network in Kilkenny, I welcome this announcement that MacDonagh Railway Station will be the first Age Friendly Train Station in the country. We value our older people as a valuable asset and as such all of the stakeholders here in Kilkenny work proactively together to improve our public realm, infrastructure and services for citizens as they grow older, so they can continue to access them with dignity and respect."