Greenway co- op and Cafe Fia link up for community event
OVER 100 participants enjoyed a Bike Week cycle event in Coolaney on Saturday 17th June. The event was organised by the local pop- up Café Fia and Sligo Greenway Co- op in association with Sligo County Council. Perfect weather conditions saw all ages enjoy a choice of two cycle routes, both of which ran adjacent to the local disused railway line which it is hope will be formed into a greenway in the near future.
Coolaney’s Café Fia was featured on RTE Radio 1’ s Morning Ireland last week, attracting a huge crowd to the village over the weekend.
“We were overjoyed when Pat McCarrick contacted us to link up with the Greenway Co- Op. This is exactly what we envisaged the cafe being about,” said Joe Fogarty of Café Fia.
“It’s not the cutesy cottage or anything like that, we want it to be a recreational hub for things like the greenway cycle, people walking in the river walk who can then stop into Cafe Fia, mountain bikers or even anyone going along the Sligo Way,” Joe continued.
RTE’s Cian McCormack was in the village of Coolaney last week as part of a series being run by the national broadcaster.
“Cian McCormack was cycling around Ireland trying to find community groups unlocking the potential of their local areas.
“I filled up a form online and he came and spent the night in O’Grady’s and he was chatting to loads of people.
“I got loads of texts and calls about it. It was on Morning Ireland, one of the most listened to programmes on radio in the country.
“We wanted to showcase the fact that we are the only community cafe in Connacht at present and it really worked,” he added.