Good local support for Corrydonnellan proposal
Plans to turn an old bog lane into a public amenity, a tourist attraction and a catalyst for creating much needed jobs met with positive reaction from local people at a meeting in Rathowen Community Centre last Wednesday night.
The proposal is to turn the bog lane between Corrydonnellan and Cappagh, Ballinalack, into a bog walk/cycleway incorporating a history of turf cutting in rural Ireland over the last half a century and displaying examples of local produce.
Key stakeholders from Ballinalack, Rathowen, Streete and Boherquill were invited to give their views on the proposal and to put forward their own suggestions.
Speaking after the meeting, Jerry Nally, Chairman of Rathowen Community Development, explained how the idea came about. During the Covid 5km travel restrictions local people had no public walkway and found they were resorting to this bog lane to stretch their legs. The idea of turning it into an official bog walk/cycleway was born.
“It is a very exciting opportunity because we are not looking at it as one community, but have all the surrounding communities and groups coming together with us to develop this walkway for all,” says Jerry. Rathowen Community Development, Streete Parish Park, Ballinalack Tidy Towns and Boherquill Ramblers along with other interested individuals and business people united: “We applied to Westmeath County Council and the Department of Rural Development and were granted €25,000 for a feasibility study,” Mr Nally explains. Rethinking Rural Ireland were engaged to carry out the study research and consultations and last week’s public meeting was part of that process.
“We will be making a submission to the council and the department on how best to develop the walkway to include cottage enterprises such as beekeeping and locally-produced honey. We will be looking at it in terms of biodiversity and bog preservation and using it as an educational facility, tourism facility and job creation opportunity as we are very short of jobs in the local area,” Mr Nally stated.
He pointed out that it will be an on-going development, starting with the resurfacing of the lane and erection of signs and gates. The long-term plan is that this project would be the catalyst for job creation and tourism, possibly joining up with other tourist attractions such as Fore and Lough Derravaragh.
Mr Nally said that the local group is working with Trina Finnan, Parks and Wildlife Ranger, on the proposal and is engaging with all the stakeholders so that the feasibility study contains comprehensive information on how they want to move forward.
Mr Nally said that there was great engagement from the local community and local businesses at Wednesday’s meeting. Another meeting is to be held in a couple of weeks.
He thanked Westmeath County Council and the Department of Rural Development “for their on-going help and support with this project”. He said that the RRI has “a brilliant team with vast experience and knowledge”. The feasibility study will not only look at the biodiversity and geographic aspects of the plan, but also the historic aspects of turf cutting over the last half a century.
“We hope that that will become part of the Story Board for the walkway”, Mr Nally remarked.
What makes this project unique is the local involvement in the design and development of the walkway. Members of the public are invited to submit their ideas through the Rathowen Community Development Facebook page or through RRI.
The study has to be submitted by the end of October and the next stage will be looking at the best design ideas and then applying for funding.