See also website
Tag Archives: Greenways
Anything relating to Greenways
Council plan to connect Offaly to the West with canal Greenways
Offaly County Council has unveiled a new stretch of Greenway on the Grand Canal and revealed further plans to connect the county all the way to the West with similar projects.
A 4km stretch at Srah, Tullamore, was officially opened yesterday by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, councillors and staff from Offaly County Council and Waterways Ireland.
This latest 4km section was constructed in partnership with Waterways Ireland at a cost of €170k, funded from Offaly County Council’ and an allocation from the Tullamore MD General Municipal Allocation.
The plans for the Grand Canal in Offaly don’t stop there as planning permission is already in place for a new 23km of
Greenway, connecting Tullamore with Lough Boora Discovery Park. This will serve to connect two of Ireland’s Ancient East sites, namely Tullamore DEW and Lough Boora Discovery Park. Construction is ongoing on this section of the Greenway.
Waterford Greenway can transform tourism in county, says top official
The Waterford Greenway has proven a tremendous success but the challenge now for local tourism interests is to encourage visitors to stay longer in the area, according to Waterford City and County chief executive Michael Walsh.
Speaking on the first anniversary of the opening of the 46km walking and cycling route from Waterford city to Dungarvan, Mr Walsh said that the Waterford Greenway had the potential to transform tourism in the region.
“The Waterford Greenway has had an incredible economic, social and cultural impact on all the communities which straddle the 46km-long route. It has captured the local and national imagination and has been a huge magnet for visitors to this region.
Waterford Greenway wins tourism prize at council awards
Cyclist.ie congratulate Waterford Council on this well deserved award and for their prescience in working to get this great stretch of Greenway, along Ireland’s EuroVelo1 cycle route, up and running. Cyclist.ie are working with Waterford Council in encouraging the growth of cycling throughout the county. A number of other initiatives in Waterford City and elsewhere are being explored, and Waterford is most definitely setting itself on the cycling map of Ireland’
‘The Waterford Greenway has transformed this county. There is no doubt about that’
The Waterford Greenway has taken first prize in a national competition aimed at encouraging community initiatives.
The Waterford Greenway scooped gold for the Best Tourism Initiative in the All Ireland Community and Council Awards organised by Local Authorities Members Association and iPB Insurance while it also took a Grand Prix Award for 2018.
Huge turnout for Great Southern Trail Greenway Christmas Walk / Cycle 2017
Over 200 people of all ages had a most enjoyable 10km walk or cycle along the old railway from Barnagh(N21) to Newcastle West on Wednesday 27 December 2017. The event was organised by the Great Southern Trail, the voluntary group that campaigned, developed and managed the Greenway until 2015). We were blessed with the weather on the day, crisp and bright. It was great to meet old and new faces including participants from our neighbouring counties of Kerry and Cork along with visitors from further afield.
Thanks to Phelim and Margaret of Coach House Travel and Pat Liston, our driver, for transporting everyone to the starting point from where the view over the Golden Vale was at its best . The walkers then had an easy downhill stroll along the Greenway which was in pristine condition thanks to the work of Joe O’Connor and his team in Limerick City & County Council along with the Rural Social Scheme personnel. The newly installed bilingual townland signs were also favourably commented upon.
After a walk of about two hours Triona Dore and her staff at the Longcourt House Hotel ensured that everyone had a nice cup of tea/coffee to wash down the seasonal mince pies. This was the largest ever participation in the Christmas walks/cycles organised by the GST over many years and we wish to thank the local papers, radio and parish bulletins for the generous coverage they have always provided to GST events. Bliain Nua Sonasach daoibh uilig i 2018.
In 2018, please God, the GST hopes to organise a similar walk/cycle from Barnagh to Abbeyfeale once Limerick City & County Council have reconnected the wonderful Barnagh Railway Tunnel to the Greenway. [At present the tunnel is a ‘stand alone’ feature and only accessible from the N21 Layby at Barnagh]. With Kerry County Council preparing to continue the Greenway to Listowel 2018 could also witness an Abbeyfeale to Listowel walk/cycle and we encourage our Kerry supporters to contact their public representatives on the necessity to not alone link Listowel to the Greenway but to continue westwards to Tralee and Fenit along the old railway that Kerry County Council have already purchased from CIÉ. Greenways revitalise rural communities; one need only visit the Waterford Greenway to witness that at first hand.
Finally, the GST is hoping to visit the Mayo Greenway on Bank Holiday Monday 7 May 2018: The group will be limited to 40 people with the cost being €60 including breakfast/evening dinner and coach travel from Newcastle West but not including bike-hire. Email [email protected] or phone Pat Condon 06962344 if interested.
Tralee to Fenit Cycleway/ Walkway
This event will take place exactly a year after the last public event, a year which has seen little progress on the project yet again !
It is also 6 years since the first public support walk in 2011, this time we are calling on people to get on their bikes to demand the development of important facility.
Meet at Saint Brendan’s church Rock Street for a 2.30 departure for cycling leisurely cycle to Mounthawlk and back.
This is a family friendly event for young and old and all abilities but if you don’t fancy cycling please come along and walk.
Spread the word and lets make the greenway happen, hopefully next year we can cycle to the beach.
River Shannon Athlone cycling and pedestrian bridge approved
We are thrilled that An Bord Pleanála has approved the proposed development of a pedestrian and cycle bridge crossing the River Shannon in Athlone. The decision was made on 31st October 2017.
This is a critical element of the jig-saw in building the Dublin to Galway Greenway which is part of the longer Moscow to Clifden EuroVelo Route #2 Capitals Route
Cyclist.ie, made detailed submissions to An Bord Pleanála supporting the proposal and we are delighted it has now progressed through planning. One of our submissions is below. For all of our members who helped out with the site visits and fed in to our submissions, we say *A BIG THANK YOU*!
The next stage is, of course, securing funding to get the bridge built … and that is where more advocacy work is required!
Keep in touch with us if this is an area of cycle advocacy that interests you!
Note: the image shows the location of the proposed river crossing. More anon on the details of the bridge and links.
Euro Velo 1
Check out this 5 minute video on EV1 – Euro Velo Route 1, from the North of Norway, down Europe’s most Western Seaboard to Faro, Portugal. One of a series of EV videos, all on YouTube
Submission to the Department of Transport
Cyclist.ie sent in a detailed submission to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport today in response to its consultation on Greenways.
We want to see an extensive network of high quality Greenways built throughout Ireland, which themselves form one plank of a wider strategy of creating a safe environment for people of all ages and abilities to cycle in. This requires serious funding and leadership from Minister Ross’ Department. We need to make cycling safe and normal again!
We also stressed in our submission the importance of providing top quality Greenways and cycleways from within our cities leading out onto quieter rural roads. In the capital, this means building a safe Liffey Cycle Route, complete Greenaways alongside the Royal and Grand Canals, alongside the Dodder and Santry Rivers, and of course an East Coast Trail / Sutton to Sandycove route. We urgently also need equivalent green networks in Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Sligo.
You can read our submission here
A sincere thanks to Cyclist.ie’s super volunteers for providing input into the submission – and indeed for sending in their own submissions.
Waterford Greenway Opening
Saturday, March 25, 2017, see links below for more information; come and support it!
