Minister Patrick O’Donovan announces ‘The One @ One’ - a Night-Time Economy Late-Night Pilot Bus Service in Sligo, Buncrana and Longford
- Published on: 20 April 2026
- Last updated on: 20 April 2026
New late-night services will operate at 1am over the May, June, August & October Bank Holiday weekends and on Culture Night.
The Minister Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan T.D has today announced the launch of ‘The One @ One’, a new late-night transport pilot serving three rural Night-Time Economy locations Sligo, Buncrana and Longford. As rural Night-Time Economy pilot towns, all three locations have consistently identified access to safe, reliable late-night transport as one of the most significant barriers to nighttime participation. This pilot initiative aims to test tailored solutions designed specifically for smaller towns and dispersed rural communities.
Developed as a targeted response to research and extensive local consultation, ‘The One @ One’ will support safer, more accessible travel for residents and visitors while strengthening the vibrancy of the rural night-time economy. The pilot directly aligns with national policy commitments to improve inclusivity, safety and connectivity across Ireland’s rural towns during evening and night-time hours.
The service will operate on several busy weekends and key dates throughout the year, giving people more ways to travel safely after a night out. These trial periods will help partners understand demand, monitor usage, and shape future late-night transport options for rural communities across the country.
This pilot initiative is a partnership between the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, the National Transport Authority, and Local Link, delivered in collaboration with Longford County Council, Donegal County Council, Sligo County Council and Sligo BID.
Announcing the pilot initiative today, Minister Patrick O'Donovan said:
I’m very aware that rural areas can face greater challenges than larger urban centres, when it comes to transport and accessing night-time activities. That’s why I’m delighted to support the launch of this pilot initiative as part of the Night-Time Economy programme. It’s especially encouraging to see the strong collaboration between the three counties and their local authorities in working together to address shared needs.
Speaking today, Ed Betagh, Local Link Programme Manager, National Transport Authority said:
NTA is a strong supporter of the Night-Time Economy and understands the importance of improving our public transport network to ensure our passengers can get home from work or from a night out with friends later in the evening. We are already investing in late night services in cities and towns across the country, and this pilot project will bring these benefits to even more people.
The 1am bus service will be operated by Local Link and will run on the following routes:
Buncrana – Route 959: Buncrana to Greencastle via Carndonagh
Sligo – Route 981: Markievicz Road to Rockfield
Longford – Route 865: Longford Centre to Granard
The introduction of ‘The One @ One’ marks an important step in enhancing accessibility, safety and vibrancy within Ireland’s rural night-time economy. This pilot will help ensure that more people can enjoy what their towns have to offer confident that they have a safe way to get home at the end of the night.
ENDS
Note for Editors:
Background on the Night-Time Economy Pilot Scheme
The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport established the Night-Time Economy (NTE) Taskforce on 30 July 2020 as one of the priority actions for the Department and in line with a commitment in the Programme for Government.
The aim of the Taskforce was to examine all the challenges facing the development of a vibrant night-time culture and economy such as regulations, licensing, safety, transport, and diversity of cultural activities. The Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce was published in 2021. A key recommendation from the Report was to establish the Night-Time Economy pilot initiative in 9 selected towns/cities, which would be supported by 9 Night-Time Economy Advisors. The selected locations were Dublin City, Cork City, Limerick City, Galway City, Kilkenny, Longford, Sligo, Buncrana and Drogheda.
A key element of this initiative included an extensive consultation process in each of the 9 locations, which led to the development of local action plan which set out a range of interventions to support the co-ordinated development of the area’s Night-Time Economy.
The One @ One pilot initiative
This pilot initiative has been developed by the Night-Time Advisors in partnership with the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, the National Transport Authority, and Local Link, and delivered in collaboration with Longford County Council, Donegal County Council, Sligo County Council and Sligo BID.
This pilot late-night service aims to address the primary transportation barrier identified during the research phase of the pilot project: the lack of transport options for people traveling out of each of the towns after hours. The service will help support the ease of movement for people who wish to enjoy evenings in Sligo, Longford and Buncrana Towns, particularly benefiting businesses in the Night-Time Economy (NTE).
Speaking about the initiative today, Martin Lydon, Chief Executive, Sligo County Council said:
This late-night bus pilot is in direct response to feedback from the people and businesses of Sligo town. Access to late-night transport has consistently emerged as a key challenge across all three locations. As pilot towns, we have a unique opportunity to trial innovative solutions, evaluate their impact, and better meet the needs of our communities. So we are delighted to see the One @ One come to life here in Sligo town.
John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council said:
Donegal County Council has worked collaboratively with Longford County Council, Sligo BID, the NTA and Local Link, to listen to the needs of rural communities. The ‘One at One’ trial night bus service is an important way to connect our towns and villages at night, whilst building a pathway toward further opportunities; as these kinds of innovative collaborations are at the heart of night-time economy development”
Paddy Mahon, Chief Executive, Longford County Council said:
This pilot is a very practical response to a real issue that people in Longford have raised time and again — getting home safely at night. The One @ One service supports our local night-time economy, gives people more confidence to go out locally, and reduces the need to rely on private cars. Longford County Council is pleased to work with our partners to test solutions that make our town safer, more accessible and more welcoming for everyone.
The service will be provided for five Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with the plan for data to be gathered and impact to be measured to inform future planning. The bus service will be operated by Local Link and will run on existing services listed below:
Service Routes
Buncrana – Route 959: Buncrana to Greencastle via Carndonagh
Sligo – Route 981: Markievicz Road to Rockfield
Longford – Route 865: Longford Centre to Granard
Pilot Dates
May Bank Holiday: Friday 1st – Sunday 3rd May
June Bank Holiday: Friday 29th – Sunday 31st May
August Bank Holiday: Friday 31st July – Sunday 2nd August
October Bank Holiday: Friday 23rd – Sunday 25th October
Culture Night: Friday 18th September