Author Archives: admin

National Walks Scheme Extended to Cavan Way


Cavan Fianna Fáil Councillor has welcomed the extension of the National Walks Scheme to the Cavan Way from Dowra & Blacklion through Breifne Integrated.
The Cavan Way is currently managed by Cavan County Council and, when opened in the late 1980s, was the first time the key sites in what is now known as Cavan Burren Park were really opened up to the public and also linked Dowra, the First Village on the Shannon, and the Leitrim Way walk, along the Shannon River, to the Shannon Pot in Glangevlin and on to Blacklion and the Ulster Way Trail.
Those first steps in the 1980s are the foundation for the later investment in the Cavan Burren Park and what is forthcoming for the Shannon Pot and indeed the Cavan element of the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark.
Local landowners have been very accommodating of the Council and walkers in terms of putting the Cavan Way in place but also in the completion of some re-routing over the years and in on-going maintenance.
As the Cavan Way now forms part of the Beara-Breifne Walk and falls under the auspices of the National Trails Office, the National Walks Scheme initiated by then Minister, Eamon O Cuiv in 2008, will allow landowners over whose property the Cavan Way passes to agree a programme of maintenance which the landowner must complete in return for an annual payment.
There has already been some engagement with landowners by Cavan County Council and Breifne Integrated this will now be intensified and more details to follow.

Opening Killykeen Greenway highlights need for further promotion of Killykeen Forest Park


Killykeen is one of the flag-ship attractions in County Cavan and a key local amenity. The opening of the Greenway which links Killeshandra with Killykeen is significant and welcome, as has marketing of Cabu by the Lake in recent months. It also highlights the need for more investment.
Killykeen incorporates Lough Oughter, the River Erne and is surrounded by sites of huge historic importance from Drumlane Abbey, Trinity Island, Clough Oughter Castle and Farnham.
This linking of Killeshandra with Killykeen is vitally important. As well as the economic importance to the Town visitors can also see the historic links such as the the Rath Church. Maximising the tourist potential of Killykeen is key to developing tourism in the Killeshandra area and can build on the work done over the years by individuals and the community in conjunction with Cavan County Council and assist in progressing future plans such as the Killeshandra Camino.
Within the confines of Killykeen more and better walks and more signage are all necessary. The visitor experience needs to be further enhanced. The investment to-date are all welcome but much more is needed.

Official Opening of Cavan Town Urban Greenway marks significant improvement for local community – Feeley

Fianna Fáil County Councillor, John Paul Feeley has welcomed the official opening of the Cavan Town Urban Greenway marking the completion of a significant investment by Cavan County Council through the Out-Door Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS).
Over the last number of years I have worked closely with residents in the Carrickane area to secure improvements in terms of footpaths, public lighting and other works for this area of Cavan Town. Officials of Cavan County Council, taking on board these concerns have insured that there has been an ongoing programme of improvement, installing an upgrading footpaths and road surfaces and the widening of Drumlark Bridge to provide footpath has now created a link from the Old Butlersbridge Road, past Loreto College to the Greenway and back throught the grounds of Cavan General Hospital to the Town.
This year the footpath has also been completed around the junction of Golf Links Road and Loreto Road which completes another important piece of the jig-saw.
Phase 1 of the Urban Greenway has created not just a safe area of those living locally but has provided a very beneficial amenity for the wider community.
As work progressing on the planning of Phase 2 of the Greenway, the creation of link up to Keadue Lane and the feasibility study on the extension of the Greenway to Butlersbridge and onwards to Cloverhill, Castlesauderson and linking back to Belturbet and Ballyconnell as part of the Cavan Leitrim Railway Greenway this project will form part of a much larger network of regional importance.

LIS allocation for 2021 is completely inadequate, Minister not listening to Councillors Feeley

The confirmation of the LIS for 2021 of € 289,254 is marginally up on the € 269,240 allocated in 2020 under the same scheme by Minister Humphreys is more than disappointing. The allocation will barely keep pace with construction inflation and is cold comfort to the over 220 applicants on the waiting list at present.
We have a lot of talk on this issue from the Fine Gael membership of the Council. The latest stunt is to deflect attention from the failure of Minister Humphreys is to try to bring the Minister for Agriculture into the mix. Funding for the LIS, for lanes serving agricultural holdings with residential properties thereon have always been funding by the Department of Transport until the Minister Varadkar abolished the funding entirely and the current stream of funding from the Department of Community & Rural Affairs has only arisen with former Minister Ring started making allocations in 2017.
Despite strong cases made to Minister Ryan and Minister Humphreys nothing meaningful has been done. It is incumbent now on Oireachtas members to make the case for proper sustained funding to address the massive backlog.
Cavan County Council estimate that it would take in the region of € 11 million to clear the list. We need action and a plan for consistent funding this year and over the coming years to get this list down, € 289,254 won’t do much if anything to solve the issue.