Kerry loses trail funds to midlands

LONGFORD GETS €1M GREENWAY FUND FOR KERRY OVER LONG DELAYS

KERRY loss is Longford’s gain as over €1 million in funding for the development of the Great Southern Trail (GST) from west Limerick into North Kerry was siphoned off for the midlands county amid delays in the deliver of the project here.

The Great Southern Trail group, which has been responsible for the transformation of the old railway in west Limerick into a stunning walking and cycling route, blame the landowners along the Kerry side of the line for the loss of the vital funding. Kerry County Council will now have to reapply for funds to tackle the project after Minister for Transport Shane Ross recently approved the transfer of the funds to Independent Alliance colleague Kevin Moran’s Longford-Westmeath constituency.

“It is now almost four years since Limerick City and County Council completed construction to the Kerry border,” GST Chairman Liam O’Mahony said, continuing: “The actions of a few have since then stymied progress beyond the Border to the detriment of the general Kerry community. We read now that Government Greenway funds previously allocated to Kerry have just now been transferred to the Midlands as a result of these obstructive tactics. We must not forget that the North Kerry Railway is the property of the people with ownership at present being transferred from CIÉ to Kerry County Council.”

Mr O’Mahony meanwhile welcomed Kerry County Council’s recently-published tourism strategy, which gives priorty status to the development of both the Kilmorna to Listowel and Tralee to Fenit Greenways.