Irish Rail services hit by major morning disruption after overhead line damage near Raheny

Irish Rail has warned of major disruption across DART, Northern Commuter and Enterprise services after damage to overhead lines near Raheny, with about 15,000 to 20,000 commuters expected to be affected.

The disruption hit during the morning commute in Dublin, leaving some passengers facing delays, cancellations and bus transfers while repair work continued. Irish Rail had not given a firm time for full restoration in the early morning reports.

What happened

According to Irish Rail spokesperson Barry Kenny, the damage occurred at around 8:30 pm on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Crews were unable to begin work until 1:30 am, and the company said it was still trying to determine the cause.

Irish Rail said Northside DART services were among the worst affected. Trains were reported to be running only between Clontarf Road and Bray or Greystones, with no DART service from Howth or Malahide.

Northern Commuter services were also suspended between Howth Junction and Connolly.

Services affected

Enterprise passengers travelling toward Belfast were being transferred by bus between Connolly and Drogheda. Irish Rail also said Leap Cards were valid on other Transport for Ireland services, subject to capacity.

The disruption affected a major commuter corridor linking Dublin's northside suburbs with the city centre and also the cross-border route to Belfast.

What happens next

Irish Rail was still working on repairs on Wednesday morning, but had not provided a confirmed time for full service to resume. The company said it was continuing to investigate the cause of the overhead line damage.

The key question now is whether the disruption will clear before the afternoon commute or continue to affect rail passengers later in the day.