Super Mario takes part in a St. Patrick's Day Parade in Connemara!

 

All along the route of the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Moycullen, the Connemara Greenway Alliance group of walkers(including one man and his dog!) cyclists (& a unicyclist - Gabe!) and in buggies were clapped and cheered on by the watching crowds.

This was a manifestation of the huge support that this proposed walking and cycling green infrastructure has amongst the people of Connemara.

The Connemara Greenway is long overdue! In our seven years in existence, the Alliance has seen greenways across Ireland open up. So in the public consultation that happens this week in the University of Galway (Wednesday), Moycullen (Thursday) and Oughterard (Friday), we ask supporters of the Connemara Greenway to attend and make their feelings known.

And by the way, I really enjoyed dressing up as Super Mario for the parade once again! It is always nice to bring a bit of humour to a serious community campaign.

But on a political note, I made sure that Super Mario wore a Palestinian scarf. We must continue to keep pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza at all opportunities.

Connemara Greenway begins at Terryland Forest Park!

Photo shows the lovely painting of the Connemara Greenway by the great artist Helen Caird at Tuatha's "An Nead" HQ in Terryland Forest Park. The long overdue 77km Galway city to Clifden Connemara Greenway (only 16km completed) will begin at the Dyke Road beside the Terryland Forest Park and include a new pedestrian-cycling bridge over the River Corrib at Woodquay. 

The painting with its portrayal of Twelve Bens(Pins) mountain range was designed to show that the Greenway exists for walkers as well as cyclists. 

Photo also shows some of the Saturday morning volunteer crew (Julie, Victor, Ailbhe, Tobias Baum, Paul and myself) involved in our regular litter pick of the forest park.

A patriotic Green Irishman wears Blue & Yellow on St. Patrick's Day!

I was proud to dress up in the colours of Ukraine and hold the country's flag high yesterday as I took part on my bike in the Connemara Greenway presence in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Moycullen.

It was so lovely to be joined by so many good friends demanding the completion of an access-for-all Connemara Greenway including John Power (CEO for Aerogen & the campaign's No 1 supporter), Claire Lillis (what a fantastic job she did with the promotional signage!), Micheal Ó Cinneide (the great co-leader of the Corrib BEO initiative - the Corrib blueways & greenways are so interlinked!), Helen Caird (eco artist extraordinaire), Ronald van Dijk,  Gabe Bourke (who travelled from Donegal to join us!) Thomas Flanagan (who cycled from Barna) Kevin Jennings (chair of Galway Cycle Campaign & who cycled with friends from Galway city), Dick Delaney (who begins today a cycle with family from Galway to Dublin!), Thomas Ó Cadhain (who, in spite of being in pain with a severe injury, walked with his crutch), councillor Alastair McKinistry (who has been a staunch and strong political advocate for it) Pat Collins, Kyran O'Gorman (a great Blue advocate of Lough Corrib)....

All along the route of the parade, the watching crowd cheered and clapped their support for the Greenway. The enthusiasm was palpable! 

 

But I felt, as so many others across our country did yesterday, that it was important too that there should be a tribute and a remainder of the brave men, women and children fighting a people's war against Putin's brutal invasion of their country and his attempts to wipe an independent sovereign country of the map of Europe and assimilate into an anti-democratic new Tsarist Empire. So I dressed up head to toe in the colours of Ukraine carrying my home-made Ukrainian flag and tunic

 

I feel too that Irish people, because of our history, have a special affinity with small countries that suffer oppression and occupation from aggressive rulers of larger more powerful neighbours. Hence the popular support in Ireland too for Palestine.

I hope someday to visit a free Kyiv, Lvev, Kharkiv and Mariupol in a free Ukraine.

 

Please Help! Your Submission today (July 30) can help make the Connemara Greenway become a reality!

We in the Connemara Greenway Alliance are requesting people that want to see and to enjoy what could be one of Europe's most pictureseque walking and cycling routes to make submissions before 4.30pm today (Friday July 30) to the Draft Galway County Development Plan 2022-28 in order to have it included as a priority piece of infrastructure that will help revitalise the towns and villages along the route between Galway city and Clifden.

The submission will take approximately 7 mins to complete. Please go to https://consult.galway.ie/

The Connemara Greenway Alliance, of which I am a member, has prepared a ready-made cut and paste submission which one can use and is available at:

http://connemaragreenway.ie/submissions-to-draft-galway.../

We sincerely thank all of those that have already made submissions. This is the Alliance’s final big push to get the Connemara Greenway from Galway city to Clifden included in the Development Plan and have it completed as soon as possible.

 

As well as the health, social and commuter benefits for the people of Connemara, the green tourism potential of this Greenway will bring huge economic benefits especially in the hospitality and services sectors. Dr. Pat Collins of NUI Galway undertook an economic research analysis of the potential impact of the Greenway and estimated that it would bring in €17million+ per annum to the region.

There will also be additional advantages to the city. With the construction of the planned walking/cycling bridge on top of the old railway limestone stacks in the River Corrib at Woodquay (as you know, City Hall has already secured funding from government under the Urban Regeneration Scheme), its terminus would help secure the Dyke Road as a unique blue and green hub combining a blueway along the Corrib stretching to the heart of Mayo; a forest way through the 120+ acre Terryland Forest Park; a boreen walking network to Menlo, Castlegar and Carrowbrowne; and a Greenway to Headford.

Sadly, in spite of the investment flowing in from central government, its development is extremely slow. 

Only c15km of the 76km route has been completed. This section is at the western side with no progress whatsoever being made between the city and Oughterard.

A few weeks ago, the Limerick Greenway opened to great fanfare with Greenways already operational in Waterford, Tipperary, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Longford, Monaghan, Louth...

So as an integral part of the walking/cycling, ecological corridor and Outdoor Classroom infrastructure for Galway city and country, your submission can help make the Connemara Greenway become a reality sooner rather than later!

Celebrating Terryland Forest Park 2000-2020: a unique Green & Blue Hub for Galway city and environs.

Last week we held the first online (Zoom) meeting of supporters of the Terryland Forest Park from surrounding areas and beyond. It was so beneficial to have residents from areas such as Dyke Road, Coolough, Castlegar, Gleann na Trá, Castlelawn, Ros na Shee(Sidhe), Sandyvale, Skellig Ard, Carraig Bán and Riverside who want to get involved in bringing Ireland's largest urban forest park to a new level of ambition by getting it recognised not only as a wildlife sanctuary and a People's Park with recreational facilities for all age groups, but also as a unique Blue and Green hub of international importance.

With a new generation of volunteers now coming onboard, we can over the next six months work on developing a new website; secure increase information signage; plan out, with the agreement of city council additional wildflower meadows and new seating; as well as hopefully set up a volunteer park rangers unit.
But it is envisaged also that the Terryland Forest Park and the Dyke Road could well become a hub for the Corrib waterways stretching into the heartlands of Mayo; the terminus for the Connemara Greenway with the construction of a bridge on top of the old railway pillars; and, working with local communities, a starting point for a network of walking and cycling trails along the 'boreens' of Menlo, Castlegar and Carrowbrowne. The pioneering Seven Galway Castles' Heritage Cycle Trail/ Slí na gCaisleán that begins and ends at Terryland Castle (see photo with Helen Caird's lovely drawings!) is now twelve years old.
Note: a huge poster of Slí na gCaisleán is on permanent display beside Terryland Castle.
Every large park must have a central multi-purpose building that serves as meeting point and so much more. We must now seriously look at converting the abandoned 19th century waterworks into a forestry/river interpretative centre with café, gallery, heritage museum, toilets and cycle rental/repair shop.
Details of the speakers and themes for this month's Zoom meet-up will be posted on this blog on Thursday. More volunteers and supporters welcomed!

St. Patrick's Day & the 'Greening' of Connemara!

It was a joy to help, as a committee member, organise and to take part in the 'Connemara Greenway' presence in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in the village of Moycullen.
We had two large populated colourful floats (thanks Gary, Brian & John!) with a moving mass of volunteer cyclists and walkers of all ages, representing the largest presence in the parade. All along the route, we were greeted with smiles, cheers and clapping from onlookers! Rousing calls from the parade MCs that no more delays in the building of the Greenway would be tolerated was answered by applause from the crowd! It was obvious to all present that the floodgates had opened and the popular support for the Greenway was there for all to see.

Thanks to the herculean efforts of an enthusiastic committee that includes Tiarnan (the founder!), John, Fiona, Brian, Gary, Dick, Terry, and Pat, the campaign for a Greenway along the old disused railway line from Galway city to Clifden has come a long way since we formed two years ago.
Council officials have done really great preparatory work and are working with many of the landowners; most of the local politicians are now actively onboard promoting the facility. The first 5km stretch near Ballinafad opened last summer. But there is another c73km to go! In spite of stories to the contrary, the people of Connemara showed on Sunday that they are overwhelmingly in favour of a Greenway that will go through some of the most picturesque landscapes in Ireland and indeed Europe. This green resource will revitalise many of the towns and villages along the route, and bring social, educational, health and economic benefits. Sustainable eco tourism will be given a much needed shot in the arm. But this Greenway will not only be used by tourists but also by local people as a commuter and social connection.
The people have spoken! No more excuses! No more delays! They want the full route from Galway city to Clifden opened as speedily as possible. Candidates in the forthcoming local elections, please note!!

p.s. In spite of the fact that I have in the photo a tobacco pipe in my mouth, I don’t smoke. It is purely a prop- honest!

10,000 demand a Connemara Greenway!

Shouldn't everyone be able to experience the beautiful Connemara landscape of this photograph in safety, at a leisurely pace, with family, friends or by oneself, away from the noise and traffic of motorised vehicles?

 

In the last four weeks, nearly 6,500 people agree with these sentiments and have signed our petition requesting that a Connemara Greenway be built along the old railway line from Galway city to Clifden. 

The landscapes and waterscapes of this area of Ireland are world famous and are celebrated in song and verse. But the enjoyment factor for tourists are severely curtailed due to a lack of a safe walking and cycling infrastructure. Such an facility would benefit not only visitors but also the people of Connemara, offering them a commuter facility to and from Galway city as well as providing sustainable jobs. The educational, health, social, environmental and economic benefits are huge.

The government recently launched a national Greenway strategy with €53 million being made available to local authorities to invest in developing the networks in the 2019-2021 period. Galway County Council now has to submit a proposal by late November requesting funding for the Connemara Greenway which is planned to link into a Galway city - Dublin Greenway and hopefully onto the existing Mayo Greenway and a proposed Sligo Greenway (that my good friend Martin J Brennan is leading the campaign for). 

 

So we need to get our petition completed within the next few weeks and hand it into the county council in order to ensure that they apply for funding for the whole route. Can we get 20,000 names before we submit? It would be wonderful if we could! So please support this noble cause and sign the petition if you have not already do so at https://bit.ly/2MgGyMl. Please encourage your family, friends and work colleagues to do likewise.

Connemara Greenway captures the Public Imagination

It was great to be back on the campaign trail interacting with people on the streets of Galway city, this time with the Connemara Greenway Alliance which is pushing for an amenity that will change the face of tourism in Galway and the western seaboard as well as bring positive economic, social, community, health and environmental benefits to its people. 

The Connemara Greenway, which is to be developed along the abandoned 77km railway line from Galway city to Clifden, will allow visitors for the first time in the era of motorised transport to safely walk and cycle through one of Ireland’s most famous landscapes.

I was so impressed with the enthusiastic support from the public at our Saturday stand at the Spanish Arch. People were lining up to sign the Greenway petition with comments such as a “win win for all” and “long overdue” being uttered time and time again.

Whilst Galway County Council opened the first completed section of the proposed Greenway a few weeks ago, a 6km section at Ballinahinch-Ballinafad and planning permission has been obtained for the Clifden to Oughterard section, nevertheless the political momentum needs to be increased to ensure progress especially along the Moycullen to Galway city if the Greenway is to completed over the next few years.
Support though in Connemara is growing and our Alliance includes the Moycullen Community Development Association, the Connemara Chamber of Commerce, the MaumTurk walking club and families and landowners living along the route
For there is a growing realisation that Connemara will not only benefit from tourists travelling from outside Galway and from overseas seeking to experience a Greenway that is located in a region of beautiful landscapes and rich cultural heritage known throughout the world, it will finally be able to exploit a large untapped market that exists on its doorstep, namely the circa 80,000 urban population of Galway city. However it is not only an amenity for tourists. Connemara folk will be able to commute to and from the city, meet neighbours and enjoy their own locality.

To get an inkling of what the landscapes of Galway can bring to leisurely cycling, why not join me tomorrow (Sunday) at 9.30am at the Plots on the Dyke Road to take part in the Seven Galway Castles & Organic Gardens Heritage Cycle Tour. Check out https://bit.ly/2Mwlx0L