Aisling O’Leary never set out to drive trains. She wasn’t chasing a lifelong dream or following in anyone’s footsteps. One evening, she was flicking through Facebook – the TV on, kids coming and going – when an ad from Irish Rail popped up.
“Do you want to be a train driver?” it said.
She clicked it just to see. For the laugh. One year later, she’s one of just three women driving trains out of Cork- and she’s powering down the tracks at 160 kilometres an hour like she was born to do it.
“I was doom scrolling on Facebook one night,” she tells All About Cork. “And I said, you know what, now for a laugh. Let’s go for it.”
What followed was a mountain of psychometric testing, interviews, practicals, safety checks, rules, signals, fault-finding, brake tests – and about a year’s worth of full-on training. She nailed it all.
Inside the depot, the fact that she’s one of just three female drivers doesn’t faze anyone – and that includes Aisling herself, along with her fellow drivers Fiona Walsh and Chloe Redden.
“To be fair, the lads don’t care once you’re doing the job. I’ve never been treated any differently.”
She’s quick to say they don’t make a big deal about her gender – and neither does she.
“We’re not women doing a man’s job. We’re just women doing a job.”
The shifts can be unpredictable, and the early mornings can take getting used to. But the role comes with a surprising amount of independence – something Aisling loves.
“You can be as social or anti-social as you like. Some mornings I’m not in the humour to talk at all, and nobody takes offence.”
Her family couldn’t be prouder. “My dad’s gas,” she laughs. “He could be in grocery shopping and someone says something about the grapes, and he’s like, ‘My daughter’s a train driver.’”
So what’s next for her?
She’s happy right where she is driving trains and wants to stay on the tracks for the long haul and maybe mentor future drivers or even explore steam trains down the line. But for now, she’s focused on driving and doing the job right.
And her advice to other women thinking about it?
“Go for it. Honestly. If you like driving, can stay calm under pressure, and enjoy a bit of independence – it could suit you down to the ground.”
From snooker cues to signal lights, Aisling O’Leary is showing us all that the right job might just be the one you never saw coming.
By Brenda Dennehy
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