Dublin Galway Greenway

RTE CountryWide, which covers farming matters, provided coverage about the farmer's concern about the Dublin Galway greenway on their show (7th Nov 2015). Albert Smith from the group KeepIrelandOpen is joined by the Jerry Armstrong from the IFA in Galway.  The podcast below makes for interesting listening and uncovers the amount of suspicion and disrepect on all sides. Hopefully the decision by the minister to pause the Galway section but continue with the Kildare/Meath section will give space to rebuild the relationships that are needed to make this project successful. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element Audio file is the property of RTE Country Wide and simply relinked here.

For those who have an interest, we have reposted the RTE Interview with Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Transport, where he discusses his decision to pause the development of the Galway-Roscommon section of the new Galway to Dublin greenway. It is interesting to note the Ministers confidence that the cross country route will definitely be built and will be in public ownership. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element Audio file is the property of RTE Morning Ireland and simply relinked here.

This blog can reveal that the detailed report that resulted in pausing of the Dublin Galway Greenway in Galway showed large support for Greenway in Roscommon but opposition was high in East Galway. In the proposed section from Ballinasloe to Athlone, mostly in County Roscommon, the results of the landowners consultation was positive. In a sample of  arroud 32% of the landowners in the route corridor (136 landowners), 74.3% accept the route corridor, while 19.9% object to it and 5.9% are undecided. When State-owned lands are factored into the figures it seems that almost 90% of the emerging route has acceptance in this section. However, in Galway County and City, the acceptance of the route was much less favoured. Consultations  with a sample of around 20% of the landowners (194 landowners) along that route corridor record that c. 27% of landowners would accommodate a route for the cycleway on their lands, c. 63% would object to it with 8% undecided. The graphic below from the

Today was a significant (and disappointing) day for the Dublin Galway greenway. The Minister has decided to pause the Galway/Roscommon section of the Dublin Galway Greenway and instead focus the funding on the Kildare/Meath section. The Irish Independent reported  that the "Plan for cycle route from Dublin to Galway halted by landowners' objections" Similarly, the Irish Time reported  that "Objections put brakes on cycleway from Dublin to Galway". More locally, the Galway press ( Connacht Tribune ) reported even though the project is stalled that "East Galway farmers remain concerned despite shelving of greenway" Meanwhile, on a more conciliatory approach, the Shannonside newsroom reports about Denis Naughten has tried to keep discussions open when reporting that the "Roscommon TD says delay in agreement on cycleway route lies on Galway side".

Opposition by Galway farmers has forced the Minister of Transport and Tourism, Pascal O'Donoghue, to put plans on hold for the Dublin Galway greenway in East Galway. Reports today in several news sources have confirmed our previous reports that large scale opposition from landowners in Galway has forced the Minister to rethink the project, The minister has decided to allocate funding to other sections of the Dublin Galway greenway.  Kildare and Meath look set to benefit from this decision. Planning permission is in place for the Royal Canal greenway in Meath and Kildare. The plan is to connect the Royal Canal greenway in Westmeath all the way to Maynooth. Just last week, Westmeath County Council officially opened the Athlone Mullingar (old rail trail), Huge crowds are already using this excellent greenway. In other connected developments, Longford Council apparently have plans to extend the Royal Canal greenway all the way to the Shannon at Clondra and also are about to put

According to reports in recent days in the Connacht Tribune , the Dublin Galway greenway project may be either terminally dead or seriously wounded. Apparently, a report into the recent consultation with landowners has been handed to the Minister. The report appears to say that 63% of galway farmers are opposed to the project in it's current plan. This is a major set back for the project and hopefully this is not the end of the ambitious plan. It comes at particularly time when optimism is high with the opening of the Mullingar to Athlone greenway . It is claimed that rural communities could benefit enormously from tourism traffic that otherwise bypasses these areas. Some communities are even seeing greenways as one way for rural communities to fight back against a backdrop of rural decline. While some politicians such as  Denis Naughten  are trying to keep the dialogue open with the Minister on alternative route options, it is hard to see how the project can proceed under s

To celebrate the opening (Sunday 18th Oct) of the Athlone to Mullingar Greenway tomorrow, the latest section of the Dublin Galway Greenway, we are showcasing some amazing video footage of Moate station. Footage courtesy of Briain Smyth on Youtube. Enjoy And for a reminder of the before and after, here's a video of the "before". Well done to all the volunteers and to Westmeath council for such amazing work. Here's to a very successful greenway!!