The opening of two new greenways in Co Kerry, totaling almost 23km, will boost cycling in the region as well as attract more tourists and deliver an economic boost, Government ministers have said. The two new stretches of greenway - covering 10.5km and 11.2km - have been built on the disused railway lines.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD (Greens) said the "projects are for locals first and foremost, to make it easier and more enjoyable for them to move around, with and without a car” while also boosting the economy in the region by attracting visitors.
One of the newly opened projects is the N69 Listowel to Abbeyfeale section of the North Kerry Greenway; some 10.5km from Listowel to Limerick's county bounds. It will link to the Great Southern Trail, which extends from Abbeyfeale for 50km into Co Limerick. When the Listowel to Fenit phases of the greenway are complete, it will extend over 90km in length from Limerick to Fenit.
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The second project opened this weekend is the Tralee to Fenit Greenway; 11.2km along the Tralee to Fenit old railway line. It stretches from the townland of Ballynahoulort in Tralee to the village of Fenit. It will also give tourists and recreational cyclists a safe route to enjoy the views over Tralee Bay and provide a key link with the trans-European Euro Velo Route.
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Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton TD (FG) said the new greenways would "allow those living in the vicinity to travel for school, work or to local amenities on foot or bike". They would also provide "an important recreational feature which will support the local tourism offering and foster economic growth in the local area”.
Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr John Francis Flynn, described the opening of the greenways as an "historic day for the county".
"The opening of new two greenway routes and the route at Brackaharagh not only enhances the reputation of Kerry as a prime location for walking and cycling infrastructure, it also greatly enhances our tourism offering as well as the local economy," he said.
"We can look forward in anticipation to the development of the South Kerry Greenway and the linking of the various routes which will enable users to enjoy the county’s beautiful landscape.”
