Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure Scheme Projects
ORIS Funding Announcement on 4 March 2021
On 4th March 2021 the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys T.D. announced funding for projects under Measure 2 of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. The scheme provides funding for the development, promotion and maintenance of outdoor amenities such as trails, walkways, cycleways, and blueways. The Regeneration team at Longford County Council are delighted with the funding received of €200k for Newtownforbes Bog Walk, a development of c. 2.9km trail linking the village of Newtownforbes with the nearby countryside, through grassland, bog and forest and €200k for Phase one of the construction of a walkway/cycleway linking Ballymahon Town with Newcastle Woods, along the River Inny.
ORIS Funding Announcement on 18 January 2021
The Regeneration Department at Longford County Council are delighted with the funding announced by the Department of Rural and Community Development amounting to €122,745 for the following projects:
| Project name | Project Description | Location | Funding Approved |
| Aughnacliffe River Walk | Development of phase 2
Aughnacliffe, Co. Longford | Aughnacliffe, Co. Longford | €20,000.00 |
Knappogue Bog walk Extension | An extension to the Knappogue Bog Walk | Knappogue Bog, Co. Longford | €20,000.00 |
| Old Bog Line | The reinstatement of the Bog Line to provide a walking trail for the local community | Culray, Aughnacliffe, Co. Longford | €20,000.00 |
| Ballinamuck Signage | The design and provision of signage
Ballinamuck, Co. Longford | Ballinamuck, Co. Longford | €2,745.45 |
| Commons North walk Upgrade | Maintenance & repairs
Commons North, Lanesborough | Lanesborough, Co. Longford | €20,000.00 |
| Support of existing walks and trails | The provision of footfall counters on a number of recently developed walks within Co Longford to quantify the numbers of users and impact of investment in trails | Corn Hill, Newcastle Woods, Corlea, Derrycassin, Co. Longford | €20,000.00 |
| Lough Naback Walk | The enhancement and further development of a trail at Lough Naback, Birrinigh, Co. Longford | Lough Naback, Birrinigh, Co. Longford | €20,000.00 |
Official Opening of the Newcastle Wood Greenway on 20th July 2020
Longford County Council Regeneration Department are very pleased to announce the official opening of the Newcastle Woods Greenway, linking the Newcastle Woods with the Royal Canal Greenway, on Monday 20th July, 2020 at Newcastle Woods, Ballymahon, Co. Longford
This walk represents a significant piece of infrastructure in the delivery of a high quality, off-road network of trails throughout County Longford. It links the Newcastle Woods and the recently opened White Bridge and Center Parcs with the Royal Canal Greenway. This piece of work will allow users to travel from Dublin along the Greenway and into Center Parcs. This will increase the attractiveness of Longford and the wider Hidden Heartlands as a destination of choice for holiday makers.
The delivery of this Greenway is a testament to the ambition of Longford County Council to develop and build on the tourism infrastructure within the County and is a credit to the local landowners who supported the project, facilitating access through their lands. It adds to the recreational infrastructure in the area for local people to enjoy during these unprecedented times when we are encouraged to stay local.
Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Paul Ross has officially opened the new Greenway link between the Royal Canal and Newcastle Bridge Ballymahon today Monday. In praising the work done on this project Cllr Ross stated that for a county like Longford these greenways offer a great opportunity for our county and should be developed throughout the midlands.
"These greenways showcase what is most beautiful in our county and open up our countryside to all to explore. These routes are picturesque, safe, family friendly and provide great exercise and I believe that we need to connect up the midlands by greenway. I would like to see this greenway along the River Inny extended from Ballymahon to Ballinalack which would link to the N4 and would really open up our county to cyclists.
The most important aspect of this project is the co-operation of the landowners without whom this greenway would not have been achieved. Their consent and good will is vital and I would like to thank them all sincerely.
Longford Co County regeneration team also deserve huge praise for the successful application for funding from former Minister Michael Ring through ORIS, the quality of the works carried out and the manner in which they worked with the landowners.
The cycleway model ties in with what our largest tourism operator Center Parcs promotes and being a flat county, we are ideal for cycleways and greenways in Longford and I feel that we should work towards linking all our cycleways and greenways together in the future.
This is the first part of what I hope is many more greenways to come in Longford and having used this one a number of times with my own family I can personally vouch for how good a job has been done here."
The project was co-funded under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development, under Project Ireland 2040 and Longford County Council and implemented by Longford County Council Regeneration Department.
http://www.longfordcoco.ie/!XQQREC
