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10 Years On - What has happened to the Dublin Galway Greenway?

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In September 2012, Leo Varadkar the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, proposed the first off-road cross-country cycle route. “ Ireland doesn’t have a cross-country, off-road cycle route, and this would have significant potential to be marketed internationally and attract new tourists who may want to walk or cycle across Ireland ” - Minister Varadkar said. Ten years on, Ireland still does not have a cross-country greenway. Has the project died? Will it ever happen? What has this project delivered? What have we learned? Back in 2012, Ireland was in the depths of a recession following the global financial crisis. Tourism appeared to be one of the only shining lights in Ireland’s economy. Leo Varadkar was a rising star in the Fine Gael party and, as a newly appointed minister, he was quick to announce various tourism initiatives such as the extension of the 9% VAT rate for tourism, the “Gathering”, a global call to the Irish diaspora to return to Ireland during 2013 and the first

Major bridge on the Dublin Galway Greenway to be lifted into place

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The new pedestrian and cycle bridge, between the Radisson Hotel and the Luan Gallery, is to be lifted into place from the end of this month. According to the Westmeath Independent, on Tuesday, August 30, and Wednesday, August 31, the first section of bridge is to be be floated downstream from Wansboro Field on an 18 metre x 18 metre pontoon, which will be manoeuvred by two tugs. Waterways Ireland has said that the navigation channel in the vicinity of the bridge works would continue to be restricted until the end of September.

Details of proposed Athlone to Galway Greenway route are emerging

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  The Dublin Galway Greenway blog has learned that a decision is imminent on the preferred route from Athlone to Galway. This route section is the final jigsaw piece of the coast to coast greenway which is a strategic priority by the government. Several news outlets are reporting today that a preferred route has been selected. The greenway team are due to meet local councillors tomorrow to explain the decision and a further public consultation will then take place. Galway Bay FM are reporting that Route 5 has been selected. This route would see the route go from Athlone to Shannon bridge , Clonfert, Meelick and Eyrecourt before going on via Portumna, Clarinbridge and Oranmore. Many supporters of the other proposed route will be disappointed if the rumoured route is in fact route 5. Local representative Ciaran Cannon is calling for the government to link up the villages and towns on the other links to the national greenway network. As of now (Monday Dec 6th) it is still not confirmed t

Royal Canal Greenway (part of Eurovelo 2) launched on 24th March 2021 with Eamon Ryan

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  Photo courtesy of https://www.waterwaysireland.org/ The official launch of the Royal Canal Greenway will take place on Wednesday 24th March 2021. Due to Covid19, this launch event will be a virtual one. Minister Eamon Ryan and Minister Malcolm Noonan will be in attendance for this online launch. The Royal Canal greenway is part of the Eurovelo 2 capitals route that will run from Moscow to Galway when complete. This section of the Eurovelo 2 greenway runs from Maynooth in Co. Kildare to Cloondara in Co. Longford. In total it is 130km long of level tow path which is ideal for both walkers and cyclists. The Royal Canal Greenway traverses 4 counties in total including Kildare, Meath, Westmeath and Longford. Each of the 4 counties are jointly working on launching and marketing this new greenway in partnership with Waterways Ireland. While the entire route from Dublin to Longford is yet to be completed this is still a significant new addition to Irelands growing network of greenways. The

Public Consultation 2

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  After a five-year pause, the Galway to Athlone Cycleway is being developed with a fresh new start. New consultants, RPS, have been appointed and given a blank canvas to develop a route for the cycleway Public Consultation No.2 started on January 25th 2021 and run for 5 weeks until 1st March 2021. Due to current health restrictions, a physical consultation event is not possible but the Consultation can be accessed in the Virtual Consultation Room  Here

Next phase of the Dublin Galway Greenway could be open by Easter

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The Westmeath indepentent are reporting that the next phase of the Dublin Galway greenway could be opened by Easter. The upcoming phase, just a kilometre in length, extends the Dublin to Galway Greenway from the Whitegates in Athline into town adjacent to the Radisson Blu Hotel. This is a prerequisite for the next more complex and costly section which will see a new bridge built over the River Shannon to take cyclists over to Athlone Castle. According to the tender documents, the next phase will consist of earthworks and paving works for the cycleway track along the route, along with new culvert works, landscaping, installation of public lighting, electrical works, and traffic signalling works. In another exciting development Michael Kelly, Senior Executive Engineer from Westmeath County Council's National Roads Office told the paper that “the bridge (across the Shannon) is at detailed design stage and it's hoped to go tender on that in early 2021” 

Public Consultation Starting on Athlone to Galway cycleway route

The Galway to Athlone Greenway Project Office will hold a series of public engagement events in early August 2020 to give members of the public a first opportunity to discuss the greenway design with members of the design team. The event details are as follows; Shamrock Lodge Hotel Athlone - Monday 10th August, Shearwater Hotel Ballinasloe - Tuesday 11th August, Raheen Woods Hotel, Athenry - Wednesday 12th August, Loughrea Hotel - Thursday 13th August, Maldron Hotel, Oranmore - Friday 14th August. All of the events will take place from 11am - 8pm on each day, offering ample opportunity for the public to participate. In addition, members of the public can make submissions by emailing the team at info@galwaytoathlonecycleway.com and members of the design team are available to meet by appointment at the Ballinasloe Project Office.

Greenway office to be located in Ballinasloe

In a significant move for the Dublin Galway greenway, Ballinasloe has been selected as the location for the office that will oversee the project. In July 2019, Senator Maura Hopkins called for the public office for the Athlone to Galway Greenway to be located in the East Galway town. While there had been previous local opposition to the greenway in Galway, it is hoped that the Ballinasloe to Athlone section of the greenway can move ahead in 2020. Consultants have been appointed to oversee the project for building the bridge over the Shannon. Having a local office in Ballinasloe may also help encourage local support for the Greenway across east Galway. Due to entrenched opposition, the section of the Dublin Galway Greenway through Galway was paused back in 2015 by the then minister of transport Pascal Donohue. Funds for the project were reallocated to the royal canal greenway in Kildare and Meath. These sections have now been completed which means that there is a continuous greenway

Dublin Galway Greenway Bridge set to open in 2 years

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According to recent reports in the Shannonaide news, a new bridge across the Shannon in Athlone for the Dublin Galway greenway will open in two years. This is according to Michael Kelly, who’s a senior executive engineer with Westmeath council, and who’s co-ordinating the entire greenway from Dublin to Galway. Works are taking place this weekend to make an underpass for the greenway under a railway bridge, and this will then allow work to begin to bring the cycling and walking trail from just outside the town right into the centre, and down to Athlone marina.

Dublin Galway Greenway is the centrepiece of the National Greenway Strategy

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At the launch of the highly anticipated greenway strategy last week Minister Shane Ross announced €53m funding for Greenways and highlighted his renewed focus on completing the Dublin Galway Greenway. Dublin to Galway greenway is the centrepiece of the Government’s National Greenway Strategy. (Sorry for repost - better picture) https://t.co/am2W5uJhnR pic.twitter.com/vd6TLoeXYz — dublingalwaygreenway (@dublingalwaygw) July 20, 2018 The new greenway strategy sets out to defined what are strategic, national and regional greenways. Greenways of over 100km in length will be of national strategic importance and will be given priority in funding. The Dublin Galway greenway is being highlighted as of strategic importance and Ross said that “It is certainly our ambition that there will be at least one greenway that is coast to coast,” and later explained that tourism research indicted the need for such a project and stating his preference for a Dublin to Galway route. The minister also