News on greenway route due before Christmas

The preferred route corridor for the Athlone to Galway greenway is expected to be announced before Christmas.

It's planned that the greenway west of the Shannon will run from Athlone Castle to Galway city, but in the past there have been difficulties with finding an agreed route for it through through rural parts of South Roscommon and East Galway.

At the beginning of this year, five route corridor options went out to public consultation and there was a huge response, with over 10,000 submissions being made.

In several communities, including Shannonbridge and Ballinasloe, there were active local campaigns calling for the greenway route to include their locality.

Project manager Michael Kelly last week said it was hoped an announcement on the preferred route corridor would now be made "in the second week in December".