Failte Ireland aims to transform the Táin Trail

Tourism in this area could be in line for a massive boost as Fáilte Ireland aims to transform the Táin Trail, which passes through this region into an "internationally iconic" route.

Fáilte Ireland has initiated a review of the Táin Trail Walking/Hiking, Cycling and Driving Route for Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Longford and Roscommon, to establish it as an important tourism trail within Ireland’s Ancient East and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.

The purpose of the review is to transform the trail, which stretches from Rathcroghan in Roscommon to the Cooley Peninsula in Louth, into an international tourist route.

The trail takes in South Roscommon, Athlone, Glasson, Mount Temple, Moate and Ballycumber and Kilbeggan, but has been poorly promoted.

It is an existing 500km lopped touring and cycling route that follows the story of the Táin, but Failte Ireland aims to reimagine it into "an internationally compelling experiential route that engages local communities and visitors."

Failte Ireland has appointed a multi-disciplinary team to review the current route and provide recommendations on opportunities for the various towns and attraction along its length.

A public consultation process kicked off online last week and runs for two weeks up and until Friday October 20.

The Táin saga begins when Queen Maeve and her husband, Ailill, decide to compare their wealth and discover that the King had one thing that his Queen did not – a stud bull with a pedigree so rich that people travelled from across the world to avail of its power.

Maeve was infuriated but she knew of a bull which would make her even wealthier than her husband.

When diplomatic efforts failed to acquire the bull Maeve decided to go to war to seize the bull, assembled a fierce army from across Ireland and they set out from Roscommon bound for Cooley to take the bull by force, but met fierce resistance from Cú Chulainn, whose first encounter with the army from Connaught was at Crossakiel.

The advancing army cut down a great forest of trees to make way for their chariot at Kilskyre and spent the night in Kells, then proceeded through Navan, Slane and north of Drogheda to Cooley, where most of the fighting took place.

As Maeve's armies retreated, another huge battle took place at Teltown, one of the great gathering places of ancient Ireland.