€ 42k for walks
RECREATIONAL trails throughout Sligo are having a positive impact on tourism, with people travelling from near and far to enjoy them.
The meeting heard that Sligo County Council has received funding of € 42,000 from the Department which will be going towards two recreational trails.
Senior Executive Engineer Michael Carty said the two trails at Devil’s Chimney in Glencar and the Queen Maeve trail at Knocknarea will be undergoing more works.
He said the works involve extending the walkways and it’s planned to develop a loop walk in Strandhill around the mountain. This will start at the Rugby Club and go to the cairn, down the far side and back around, adding a significant addition to the loop, Michael explained.
There has been extensive works done to various walkways around the county, including Mullaghmore, Benbulben and Union Wood, and this is having a positive impact on tourism.
He said the council was delighted to take up the opportunity to pursue builds on existing walks.
Cllr Sean MacManus aid there had been a lot of work done in this area and it was down to hard work from the council’s team. He said: “I want to acknowledge the work being done in the installation of a number of walkways in Sligo in the last three to four years. It’s being led by Michael Carty and Ray O’Grady through negotiations with landowners.” He asked if the € 42,000 has to be spent this year, which Michael said it had to be. Cllr Sinead Maguire said the benefits are huge from the walkways. “It’s great to see them being hugely successful, people are coming from many miles to use them, it’s added to the tourism experience in Sligo.” Cllr Thomas Healy added: “It’s a great job. I know there’s been four accidents on the Queen Maeve trail and I’ve walked up it a couple of times myself, people need to be careful if they bring children.”
Michael said a trail inspector carries out regular surveys and is satisfied from a health and safety regard, adding some of the incidents were not associated with the trail. They liaise frequently with the Mountain Rescue team but people navigating up the original side of the mountain.
He advised people going up Knocknarea to do so with due care.
Cllr Seamus Kilgannon said communities are putting in a lot of voluntary work into the walkways and that a lot more good work could be done. Cathaoirleach Cllr Hubert Keaney acknowledged the effort of Michael and Ray and asked if there were numbers available on the amount of people using the walks.
Michael responded that counters have been introduced through the Border Uplands Project and it’s noticed significant numbers using the trails. He said when exact figures are available, they will let the councillors know.
“We would love to do more and with small pieces of funding like this, it helps to do that. “We will continue to seek more funding not just for Knocknarea but also west Sligo, south Sligo and north Sligo. We’re deeply dependent on the support of landowners and I would like to thank them. The walks wouldn’t exist without them.”