Transport delays this evening after train hits cows

Irish Rail has said it expects "significant" delays to trains serving Athlone for the remainder of this evening (Thursday) after one of its trains struck cows on the line near Tullamore. 

The company gave details of the accident on Twitter this afternoon, saying the 3.35pm service from Dublin Heuston to Galway had hit "a number of cows" on the train line near Tullamore. 

It said "significant delays" to services to and from Galway and Westport were likely to continue for the remainder of the evening.

As of 5.42pm this evening, the train involved in the accident remained stopped near Tullamore, leading to major knock-on delays for services in both directions.  

An Irish Rail spokesperson said the cows that had been hit by the train were dead.