After nearly five decades with CIÉ, Andrew Roche’s journey through the Irish Railways is one marked by dedication, change, and deep connection. Well-known to generations of Leesiders as the face of Iarnrod Eireann Irish Rail in Cork, Andrew retired in 2018 as Business Development Officer, after a remarkable 44-year career with Iarnrod Eireann Irish Rail and CIE Tours International. For many, it was hard to imagine Kent Station without him. Now, in this honest and uplifting story, Andrew shares the opportunities and challenges retirement brings, offering insight, humour, and inspiration for anyone in Cork thinking about their own next chapter. Retirement hasn’t slowed him down, it’s simply opened new tracks.
Today, he continues to share his love of rail with visitors from around the world. This is his story of work, transition, and staying on the move.
Andrew, who was affectionately known as ‘the Minister for Transport’ recalls his time at Irish Rail with pride.
“I was fully committed and poured my heart into the work and loved every minute of it. When I retired, I could say hand on heart that I did my best, hoped I left it better than I found it, and passed it on for someone else to do the same. With CIÉ, I saw the world, looking back, I’m proud of the choices I made and grateful for the career I had.”
In 1993 while working in Dublin, he got the chance to return to Cork for what was meant to be a short-term posting.
“It was supposed to be just three months, but that turned into 25 years, right up until I retired in 2018.”
Returning to Cork, he said, was more than just a professional move.
“I’d left at 18, and coming back at 41 gave me the chance to reconnect with my parents in a more supportive way and old friends I’d lost touch with. My father died not long after I came back, and my mother passed away in 2006. I’m grateful I was there to care for them at the end of their lives.”
He admitted he didn’t give retirement much thought until it was nearly upon him.
“I didn’t start thinking about it until about a year before,” he said. “I was too focused on work. I hadn’t really thought about what it would feel like to leave a company I’d been with so long, where I’d built lasting friendships. I wasn’t prepared for how emotional it would be to walk out the door for the last time, knowing I wouldn’t return.”
“I probably would have stayed on,” he added. “Not everyone wants to, but I think people should have the option to work until 70.”
He remembered how long the habit of work stayed with him. “For about a month after, I kept waking up at the same time as if I was still going to work until it finally hit me: I didn’t have to do that anymore.”
What helped Andrew adjust to retirement was booking a one-way ticket to the Camino.
“ I came back when I felt ready, nearly three weeks later. Soon after, he set off again, this time to Alaska and Hawaii for what he calls his official retirement trip.”
“I’d never have had that kind of freedom while working. Not everyone can do it, but being single gave me that flexibility.”
That trip felt like hitting a reset button.
“When I came back, I saw Cork and my life with fresh eyes. It was like the clarity you get after a good holiday, except deeper, because the Camino brings a real inner peace. It happens every time.
“It was a chance to really relax and disconnect from work. It helped, but after over forty years of commitment, letting go was never going to be instant.”
When asked if there’s a grieving period after retiring, Andrew admitted there was, a little.
“You don’t feel old,” he said, “but it does bring uncertainty. You feel like you have lost a part of who you were, for a while. You start questioning what you’ve done and how you’ve done it. I remember hearing Ben Dunne say, ‘Anyone could’ve done what I did – I just got up and did it.’ That always stayed with me. It’s how I approached my work and now retirement too.”
That mindset, he says, goes back to his school days.
“My father was a bus driver with CIE and he used to say, ‘You need to think about what you’re going to do with your life.’ Jobs were scarce in the ’70s, and he’d remind me, ‘CIE can offer you a lot.’”
Andrew’s first job was with WJ Hickey’s in Maylor St. But in 1972, he sat the exam for CIE and got in.
He has fond memories of his nearly five decades working in CIÉ.
“What I loved most about my time there,” he recalls, “was that it was a very human job. I met everyone from presidents to everyday passengers of all backgrounds.”
Even now, in retirement, he holds a deep respect for railway workers.
“I travel more now than I did when I was working,” he says, “and I’m so impressed by the staff. Their commitment to getting the job done is something special.
Part of Andrew’s career was spent in London and New York with CIÉ Tours International. During that time, he remembers frequent visits from government ministers.
“In the early ’80s, one particular Minister for Transport came to New York and told us there’d be no more investment in the railway. It was like delivering a death sentence. Things were really tough for a few years. But eventually, the funding returned, and we began to rebuild. I’m delighted to see the level of investment now, it’s great for staff morale.”
He’s proud of how far the railway has come.
“When I was there, we carried about 35 million passengers a year. Now it’s over 50 million. That shows how much people rely on it. And the development plans for Cork are just amazing, hopefully I’ll live to see them come to life.”
“I was at Limerick Junction not long ago and saw a young woman driving a 500-ton train. That’s magic.
“Back in my day, we hired from within and it could take years to move up. Now, people can start straight into roles like that.”
And despite all the change, he added:
“It’s nice to see that generational families are still part of it too.”
Andrew covered Cork and Kerry during his time with Iarnrod Eireann Irish Rail, two counties that were particularly busy during All-Ireland weekends.
“Those were high-pressure days. We couldn’t always supply enough trains back then, so we really felt the demand. I do miss the buzz of those times.”
Even after retiring, Andrew stayed in demand.
“For a few years, I’d still get calls from people looking for seats on sold-out trains. They thought I still had influence,” he laughs
He now works with Railtours Ireland, a private company offering rail-based hosted tours all over the country. He explained:
“They use regular train services, offering over 40 different tour options, which helps reduce and reach Ireland’s CO2 transport emission commitments. They also run a Pullman Train service, a private, chartered train that travels the country, with guests staying in top hotels like the Killarney International Hotel, the Great Southern in Killarney and the Abbeyglen Castle Hotel in Clifden.”
The company is owned by Jim Deegan, who Andrew first met while working with CIÉ Tours International in London in the late 70’s.
“Jim was with the Irish Tourist Board at the time. He’s always had a passion for rail travel and built this idea of holidays around Ireland using the Irish Rail Network. Most of our guests come from overseas from the UK and Europe, the U.S., Canada, South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. I’ve met some great people through this work.”
He laughs when asked how he got involved.
“Our corporate colour is yellow so guests can spot us easily. Even before I retired, Jim would say, ‘I’ve got the yellow jacket measured for you,’ and I’d reply, ‘Well, I still have to figure out how to retire first’, which is an art in itself.”
Like many businesses, Railtours paused during COVID.
“Afterwards, Jim called and said some of his regular hosts had retired or passed on. I told him I still hadn’t quite figured out retirement, but I’d help for a day or two. Then he asked me to stay on. I said I’d keep going as long as I was enjoying it.“That was three years ago and I’m still here.”
Of course, retirement hasn’t been without its challenges.
“Even with a pension, your income drops, and that can be a worry,” he admits. “You still have commitments and a lifestyle to manage, and it takes time to adjust. And you miss the daily contact with colleagues. I had great co-workers who became good friends and the same with customers.”
Health, too, is something that’s top of mind.
“I’ve been lucky,” he says, “but there’s no denying the body ages. I can’t run up Patrick’s Hill anymore,” he laughs. “But I’m proud I can still walk 25 kilometres a day on the Camino.”
When asked what advice he’d give others approaching retirement, he offers this:
“Friends and community are crucial. You have to make the effort, that’s key. I still meet up for coffee with my old school pals Pat, Jerry, Donal, and John from the North Monastery. We talk about everything from politics to sport”. I’m kept busy with planning Camino trips and hill walking with my friend Vincent. “And I stay in touch with former colleagues and the many people I’ve met on the Camino and on my tours.”
Andrew reflects on what he has learned since retiring :
“I think my values have shifted with me. I place more importance now on health, staying and living simply. That’s something I’ve picked up from both life experience and the Camino. I’m very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had, and the ones I still have.”
Walking his first Camino in 2005 and even now, with 29 Camino walks behind him, he continues to look forward. “Retirement isn’t the end. It’s just a different kind of journey.
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