Kerry County Council have just shared a short video of sections of the greenway route. It looks like the footage was captured last year so there has been significant progress since.
Video of route progress
Category: Tralee to Fenit Cycleway/ Walkway
The Greenway Man pays a visit
It was great to catch up with “The Greenway Man” Garvan Cummins yesterday while he was visiting Kerry and take the opportunity to show him the progress of the Tralee-Fenit Greenway.
Garvan was a co-founder the voluntary community campaign group, the Déise Greenway who campaigned for the transformation of the old Dungarvan to Waterford Railway Line into a Greenway. The campaign was responsible for highlighting the huge potential which the Greenway would have and helped make the project a reality, in turn driving the greenway revolution in Ireland.
The Déise Greenway group was founded around the same time as this campaign, and it was interesting to discover that we had a lot of the same experiences and encountered similar challenges over the years.
Even thought the Déise Greenway campaign has been a success and the Waterford Greenway is now open, Garvan still lives and breathes the greenway, running a bike rental business from his base in Durrow Co. Waterford. In addition to offering bikes, Garvan also offers history tours taking advantage of his long involvement in greenway campaigning to provide visitors with information and insights that can not be matched by others.
If you are visiting the Waterford Greenway be sure to give him a shout, for more information visit: thegreenwayman.com
Kilfenora Greenway access
Last week Brendan Griffin (someone who is no stranger to the greenway) paid a visit to listen to the concerns of local residents and businesses regarding the lack of an access point to the greenway at Kilfenora.
While an access point in Kilfenora was expected with one even been indicated as part of the planning application for the greenway it has since transpired that access in the area was no longer part of the project, with residents been told that the closest official access point will be the pump station in Fenit, requiring a 2km trip along the busy and narrow main Fenit R558 Road.
If the greenway is to be a success it is essential that access is provided for locals and visitors alike, in line with the ‘Greenways and Cycle Routes Ancillary Infrastructure Guidelines’ this location would make an idea minor trailhead:
In addition to providing practical resources such as parking and direction signage, these minor trailheads should ideally encourage participation from local residents and from passing impulse participants, and can also act as Route Rest Areas
Greenways and Cycle Routes Ancillary Infrastructure Guidelines
The letter below signed by over 110 residents of the area was sent to Kerry County Council:
To: Mr Tom Sheehy, Senior Engineer, Kerry County Council, Mr Sean O’Sullivan, Senior Executive Engineer, Kerry County Council
Kilfenora 14/02/2021
Dear Mr Sheehy and Mr O’Sullivan,
We the residents of Kilfenora are writing to formally request an access point to the Tralee to Fenit Greenway in Kilfenora. There has been an overwhelming desire expressed by the people in the community to utilise this wonderful facility. We were told at the pre-planning meeting, and it was indicated as part of the manager’s report for the Part VIII planning application, that Kerry County Council intended to provide an access point to the Greenway at Kilfenora. However we have now been told that our official access point at this time is by the pump station in Fenit. To reach this access point will mean walking or cycling 2km on the busy and narrow main Fenit R558 Road. This will pose a serious safety issue for the residents of Kilfenora. Therefore we the undersigned householders in Kilfenora wish to express a huge sense of dismay that we will have no safe access to an amenity that runs right through our community and request that this is addressed before this section of the Greenway is opened.
Yours Sincerely,
[Signed by 110 Kilfenora Residents]Please note, anyone named in this email is over 18 and has given permission by text or by phonecall to do so.
Sign of the times !
New signage at the entrance of the greenway
Community Orchard
Are you interested in helping develop a linear orchard consisting of Community Heritage Orchard, Soft Fruit Garden and Nuttery along the urban section of the Tralee to Fenit Greenway. The proposed site is a strip of scrub land which runs along the east side of the route between the Rock Street entrance and the access point to St. Brendans Park and Connolly Park.
The project aims reconnect with nature through food, landscape and community, to provide an example of how we can introduce food back into the urban landscape and increase local food security, through relearning the art of growing our own food.
If you are interested in getting involved please contact: orchard@traleefenitgreenway.com or see the Community Orchard page for more information.
This project is funded by Kerry County Councils Local Agenda 21 fund with the support of Transition Kerry
Public consultation day
Kerry County Council is holding a public consultation day regarding the proposed Tralee to Fenit Greenway.
Venue: Fenit Parish Centre
Date: Wednesday 23rd May 2018
Time: 11am – 8pm
Maps of the route of the proposed greenway will be on display for inspection throughout the day. Kerry County Council officials will be available to discuss any aspect of the project on a one-to-one basis with landowners and interested parties during the hours specified above. In the event that a person cannot attend, an appointment can be made on an alternative date in their office in Tralee or at their landholding if preferred.
There will also be a public consultation the following day regarding the proposed Great Southern Trail from Listowel to the County Bounds.
Venue: Listowel Arms Hotel (Greenville Room)
Date: Thursday 24th May 2018
Time: 11am – 8pm
Great news around hopefully Ireland’s longest Greenway from Fenit to Limerick is not too far away, please come out and support Kerry County County Council on these projects.
Major green-light for Greenway – Kerrys Eye
Article from Kerry’s Eye 15th of March 2018
Part 8 planning to be complete by July
There was positive news at todays Tralee municipal district meeting council meeting following questions raised by a number of councilors. Kerry Council council confirmed that they have now completed the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) screening reports for the greenway, these reports were required in order to determine the planning with is required for the project.
EIA Screening is carried out in order to determine if an Environmental Impact Assessment is required while the AA Screening determines the potential effects, if any, of the proposed project on sites with European conservation designations, i.e. Natura 2000 sites located nearby.
The findings of these reports is positive recommending that the remainder of the project can proceed under a Part 8 planning process (similar to the previous phases of the project) rather than requiring a more laborious and expensive application to An Bord Pleanala or a full Environment Impact Statement (EIS) which has caused delays in the delivery of the South Kerry Greenway.
Kerry Council Council also confirmed that work will now commence on preparing this application and reopening of dialogue with landowners and residents whose land adjoins the former railway, this is expected to be complete by July.
As per the part 8 planning process the council will then publish their proposals for the remainder of the line and the public will have an opportunity to make observations, all going well the results of the process should be known by late September or October.
If the project receives planning approval it will be in an ideal position to contend for national greenway funding which is due to open at the end of the year.
Radio Kerry – No Time for Tardiness for Tralee-Fenit Greenway
Feint resident Mike O’Neil spoke to Jerry O’Sullivan on Radio Kerry yesterday,
You can listen back to the interview here:
The story also featured on the news for the day:
http://www.radiokerry.ie/calls-keep-proposed-tralee-fenit-greenway-project-alive/
Kerrys Eye – Fury at Greenway Delay
Article and Editor’s Comment from this weeks Kerry’s Eye ahead to this weekends ‘Cycle the Line’ event.
