€20,000 funding boost for Greenway enhancement

The Old Rail Trail Greenway is to receive €20,000 as part of a Government funding package of €3.2m for small-scale local outdoor amenity projects around the country.

The funding is earmarked for work at the Tully and Kilcummeragh area of the greenway.

There are five other areas to receive €20,000 in Westmeath, including the completion of a woodland trail at Donore Forest Walk at Multyfarnham and the development of car park facilities at Footy's Bridge Canal carpark at Potterstown, Killucan.

Also funded are assessment and design works at Marlinstown, Mullingar, Corrydonnellan Bog Walkway and Mullaghmeen car park resurfacing at Castlepollard.

The announcement, which is co-funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Fáilte Ireland, will also see a number of projects in Roscommon and East Galway receive funding, including €20,000 each for the replacement and upgrading of the boardwalk and viewing platform at the Lismany Kylemore Bog Boardwalk and the Trail in Lawrencetown, outside Ballinasloe; €18,000 for upgrading of the existing bog road and carpark at Glenamaddy Frass Looped Walk, Phase 1, and an allocation of €17,685,000 for the development and enhancement of Phase 1 of the Aughrane Forest Trail Project in Ballygar.

Roscommon is to receive €20,000 for a countywide video marketing and promotional campaign and a further €20,000 for the installation of visitor monitoring equipment at various tourist locations across the country.

In welcoming the funding for Roscommon and East Galway, local Independent TD and Chair of the Dáil Committee on Community & Rural Affairs, Denis Naughten, said this is “just the first phase of funding for walking trails” and further funding for much larger projects is due to be announced by Minister Heather Humphreys in the coming weeks.

“This investment is part of a far bigger plan to promote our area to tourists as part of Ireland’s ‘Hidden Heartlands’ and it will also make East Galway and Roscommon more attractive locations for investment” said Deputy Naughten.

The funding has also been welcomed by Minister for Trade Promotion and Longford/Westmeath Fianna Fail TD, Robert Troy, who said it was “a testament to the work of local communities and groups working with Westmeath County Council” and he pledged to continue to support their important efforts to “help more people discover and appreciate the facilities available on their doorstep.”