€10 million Limerick Greenway – a jewel in local tourism

One of our great success stories – the transformative €10 Million Limerick Greenway – will fully reopen this Thursday following a major redevelopment and represents a major shot-in-the-arm for West Limerick Tourism ahead of a Summer of Staycations.
“The Limerick Greenway is the most significant tourism and recreational project undertaken by the Council. It will be a great amenity for the people of Limerick as well as hopefully attracting large numbers of visitors and tourists this summer and in the years ahead,” enthused Gordon Daly, Director of Community, Tourism and Culture with Limerick City and County Council, to the Weekly Observer.
The 40-kilometre route, which follows the old Limerick to Tralee Railway Line and runs from Rathkeale to Abbeyfeale, has been fully reconstructed and resurfaced with a three-metre wide macadam surface, thus bringing it to the highest international standards.
Obvious highlights are Barnagh Tunnel, Ferguson’s Viaduct, Tullig Wood and the Station Houses at Ardagh and Barnagh, both currently under restoration. “It will be possible to see Barnagh up close from Thursday and we plan to complete the restoration works at Ardagh in the coming weeks,” Mr. Daly confirmed.
On the underpass of the N21 at Barnagh, Senior Council Engineer Ben Noonan revealed: “A beautiful mural was selected from a very high standard of entries and is the work of Limerick based artist, Steve O’Donnell. We think it will really capture the imagination of children, in particular.”
Two new car parks have been opened at Ardagh Station House and Newcastle West Business Park.
In a shared statement issued to this paper, local Ministers Niall Collins and Patrick O’Donovan confirmed that they will jointly officially open Limerick Greenway in September.
Said Minister Collins: “Limerick Greenway, apart from being a significant resource for people here locally, will also serve as a significant driver in attracting and harnessing tourism potential for West Limerick. For my own part as a local Minister I was glad to be involved in delivering this significant investment into the heart of rural West Limerick”.
“There has been a huge €5 million investment by the Government in Limerick Greenway. Having secured the completion of major parts of the Old Railway like the Station Houses at Barnagh, and Ardagh, the Tunnel at Barnagh and the Viaduct at Garryduff we have made Limerick Greenway a major piece of infrastructure here in Limerick,” Minister O’Donovan said.
Limerick Greenway will be the subject of a major marketing drive in the coming weeks. In time, the Greenway will extend into Kerry, and possibly onto Limerick and Clare.