Donegal student Hannah Rose Burke appointed to CIÉ Youth Board

A 20‑year‑old architecture student from Stranorlar, Donegal, has been appointed to Córas Iompair Éireann’s (CIÉ) second Youth Board.

Hannah Rose Burke, who studies in Belfast, joins a panel of 12 young people aged 18 to 24 representing nine counties – Carlow, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Louth, Offaly, Roscommon and Wexford. The board met for the first time after their formal appointment last month and will be introduced to the CIÉ Board at the historic Heuston Station in Dublin.

During the day the new members visited Iarnród Éireann’s mechanical and engineering hub at Inchicore Works, viewing the 180‑year history of Irish railways and a new battery‑electric train slated for rollout in 2027.

Burke said she is delighted to join the board and highlighted the need to make public transport a viable option in rural Donegal, especially for young people who cannot drive. She noted her own experience of commuting by bus between Donegal and Belfast and expressed interest in improving links between transport services in the north and south of Ireland.

The Youth Board will act as an advisory group, offering insights and suggestions to CIÉ’s senior board on challenges and opportunities facing the group. The twelve members were selected from 86 applicants, with 30 progressing to interview stage before the final diverse cohort was chosen.

Aidan Murphy, Chair of the CIÉ Board, welcomed the new members, and Group CEO Stephen Kent said the board will help ensure public transport meets the needs of younger users as the service expands.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: SHOX ART / Pexels.