If I remember right, one of the earlier reports (about 2000) proposed a railway from Broombridge to the airport, using the free space in the middle of Finglas. This could then continue to Swords. The same report also proposed a tramline via Drumcondra and Ballymun, to link up with this line.
If the aim is to serve the airport as cheaply as possible using branches off the existing lines, this is probably better than a line from Clongriffin. It's not ideal, of course. Because of capacity problems, the trains would probably have to go from Docklands. The junction at Broombridge would be quite complicated.
Of course, I'm still backing Metro North, and I only mention this because if it's a case of "back to the drawing board", this line is an option.
It's strange how changeable public opinion is. In 1994, when the Luas was first proposed, a line to Ballymun was mentioned. No one particularly thought about the airport. Nowadays many people's only concern is about linking the airport - never mind if the other suburbs aren't served! People ask me why they need to go to the expense of tunnelling under north Dublin, when they could easily build a spur from Clongriffin. I reply that it is part of a plan to provide rail or tram links to as many suburbs as possible, not just to link the airport with the city centre.
By the way, I'd have no problem with a tram link from Cork to Ballincollig.
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