€12
million scenic Greenway runs through Kildare, Meath, Westmeath and Longford
24 March 2021: The
Royal Canal Greenway, a scenic 130km walking and cycling amenity stretching
alongside the historic 225-year-old canal, officially launches today ahead
of the summer 2021 season. The €12 million project co-ordinated by Waterways
Ireland is the country’s longest Greenway, traversing
through Kildare, Meath, Westmeath and Longford. Those wishing to
experience the Royal Canal Greenway are advised to adhere to Government
guidelines on movement and social distancing.
The newest outdoor adventure
tourism attraction for the country, the Royal Canal Greenway is a former
towpath for barges featuring 90 bridges, 33 locks, 17 harbours and four
aqueducts. Greenway users can choose to complete the entire 130km flat, off-road
trail in one visit or explore the shorter designated routes — ranging from 6km
to 15km — between the 14 connecting access points and towns.
High-profile attractions
linking onto the Royal Canal Greenway are trails to Carton House in Maynooth;
Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre — one of the largest prehistoric roads in
Europe — in Longford; and Center Parcs. The 165km self-guided National Famine
Way also travels largely along the Greenway, following the footsteps of 1,490
emigrants who walked from Roscommon to Dublin at the peak of the famine in
1847.
Speaking on the official Greenway
opening, Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD said: “We are delighted to
launch the Royal Canal Greenway, a game changer for outdoor tourism, and leisure
in Ireland and part of a growing network of greenways we will fund over the
lifetime of this government. As Ireland’s longest greenway, stretching from the
towns of Maynooth, Enfield, Mullingar, Longford and Cloondara, the Royal Canal
Greenway has huge potential to serve as a haven for so many looking to get out
and get active.
“In
the past year, Ireland’s great outdoors has proved to be a lifeline for the
nation, with a surge in those running, walking and cycling. When we travel
again, the Royal Canal Greenway will be a fantastic attraction ready to be
enjoyed by all and is easily accessible from towns and cities across Ireland
including via public transport. There really is no better way to experience the
unspoilt open scenery, wonderful waterways, peaceful atmosphere and rich
history of Ireland’s Ancient East and Hidden Heartlands than on the off-road
Royal Canal Greenway.”
The Greenway has been
completed in partnership with Waterways Ireland; the four local authorities of
Kildare, Longford, Meath and Westmeath County Councils; the Department of
Transport, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
Minister of State at the
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, TD added:
“This is a Greenway that has a remarkable past. From its tragic connection with
the famine, to its heyday in the mid-1880s when it was the motorway of its time,
the Royal Canal Greenway is an amenity that is continually reimagining and
reinventing itself. It is fantastic to see it become a significant outdoor tourism
and leisure amenity for Ireland — a 225-year-old engineering marvel that is now
a respite for the modern age. As we look to a greener future, this Greenway
will be an instrumental vehicle for the promotion and development of
sustainable tourism in Ireland.”
CEO of Waterways Ireland
John McDonagh stated: “We thank all stakeholders for their involvement, in
particular the local communities who have been so invested in this Greenway.
For them, this will have added economic benefits through job and new business
creation with a wide range of accommodation options, bike hire offerings, attractions,
as well as restaurants and cafes along the route. We ask the people of Ireland, when safe to do
so, to uncover the treasures of the Royal Canal Greenway, an unforgettable new addition
to the Irish outdoor adventure scene.”
The Royal Canal Greenway also
forms part of EuroVelo 2, a 5,000km “Capitals Route” that passes through
Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Belarus and Russia.
Watch the launch video here
For
more on the Royal Canal Greenway visit www.royalcanalgreenway.org. To
follow on social media, use the hashtag #RoyalCanalGreenway
Facebook @royalcanalgreenway
Instagram @royalcanalgreenway
Twitter @royal_canal
