Funding for a number of rural recreation projects around county Galway was welcomed today by East Galway TD Seán Canney.
‘Trails in Tuam, Loughrea, Kilconly, Kilchreest and Laurencetown will benefit under the scheme. The funding was announced under measures 1 and 3 of the 2017 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. The Scheme is part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and the maintenance, enhancement and promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in Ireland.
‘Five projects were approved under Measure 1, which provides a maximum grant of €10,000 for the maintenance or promotion of existing infrastructure. The projects to benefit are: Palace Grounds Community Park, Tuam, €10,000; County Galway Park Trails in Tuam and Loughrea €10,000; Roxborough Commonage Nature Trail, Kilchreest €10,000; Kilconly Community Recreation €9,500 and Lismany Bog Nature Walk, Laurencetown €4,000.

‘Funding of €986,692 was allocated to the Heritage Council for the development of the Beare Breifne Way under measure 3 of the programme. The Beara Breifne Way is a 500 km walk that follows in the footsteps of Donal Cam O’Sullivan Beara, who in December 1602 set out on an epic march from the Beare peninsula in west Cork seeking refuge in the rebel stronghold of the O’Rorkes’ of Breifne. The walk, which is Ireland’s longest walking trail, takes in large parts of county Galway as Donal Cam and his thousand followers crossed into Galway in Portumna, before travelling through Tiernascragh, Meelick, Eyrecourt, Clonfert, Aughrim, Ahascragh and further north through Ballygar, Creggs, Glinsk and on to Ballymoe before continuing the journey through north Roscommon and on to O’Rorke’s castle in Leitrim. The walk continues on to Blacklion in County Cavan.
‘This significant grant for the development of the Beare Breifne Way is most welcome. This 500 km walk has been completed to date by over 40,000 walkers but has the potential to be developed even further in coming years.
‘Details of allocations under Measure 2 of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme will be announced in the Autumn and a number of local projects are seeking inclusion under that programme.’