Retirement signals new direction for Myles

It would be almost unheard of now to enter a semi-state company without a third-level qualification and work your way up the ladder, but that’s what Myles McHugh did.

Born and bred in College Road, Myles followed in his father Tom’s footsteps by joining CIÉ, where he stayed until his early retirement at the age of 56 a few weeks ago.

In fact, Myles is doing things in reverse. He went ‘back to school’ during his time with the company and is now finishing an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) in NUIG.By the time Myles retired from Irish Rail, his job enta

iled having responsibility for the whole country’s rail network. As Service Planning Manager since 2004, Myles oversaw the development of improved rail services. The introduction of new trains is the development that gives him most pride, though he admits that one drawback is the absence of double tracks in some places, which slows up the journey.

He acknowledges that Irish Rail has some way to go yet and agrees that the opening of the new motorway between Galway and Dublin has hit its business but believes that the company must now offer enhanced services on the route in order to attract business people.

“Think of the wasted hours spent in the car when you could be working on your laptop on the train – and we are introducing WiFi, which will make this option attractive. In the medium term, real changes have to be made to reduce journey times and I am confident this will happen.

And if that competition is restored, the trains will be very busy again,” he says as if he were still working for the company.

But it’s not surprising that Myles has the company’s best interest at heart, as he started working there when he was a boy, getting a summer job just before his Leaving Cert year in 1972.

Then he got a fulltime job there after finishing his Leaving in the Bish. His first role was working on the buses (this was when both buses and trains operated under the CIÉ umbrella).

“I started counting the cash and checking ticket machines on the buses. That was back in 1973 and I didn’t leave until last month when I took early retirement.

“I honestly didn’t think last Christmas I would be retired, but the opportunity was there and I decided it was time I tried putting some of my recent education to some use.”

It’s not that Myles will be idle! He is already involved in a number of community activities. He has helped the smooth amalgamation of Éire Óg with Fr Griffin GAA Club; he used to be chairman of the Lough Atalia Residents Association, when he lived there and he is current Chairman of the Board of Management of the Bish.

He says there is a huge challenge in the city for Gaelic football in getting young people to play and equally getting adults to participate in coaching and mentoring. He got involved in Fr Griffin's when his own son was playing with them and has continued his voluntary involvement with them.

But he has to complete his exams for the MBA first before taking a hard-earned break and then possibly venturing into some project that he is already mulling about in his head.

It will involve some kind of consultancy work, possibly with new businesses.

Myles grasped the opportunity to leave Irish Rail because the travel involved had become gruelling. “When I took up the position I was expected to attend meetings in Dublin maybe once or twice a week but that was becoming almost a daily necessity.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.