A ‘GREAT’ CYCLE route will be opened in Abbeyfeale by the Minister for Transport today.

Minister Leo Varadkar is to officially open the route at 11am today, during a day of visits to West Limerick and West Kerry.

The Great Southern Cycleway comes following the success of Great Western Greenway project in Mayo. The Great Western Greenway was so successful that a National Cycle Network Fund was put in place in early 2012 to fund new cycle routes around the country which would also aim to cater for local transport demand, and attract local users for recreational purposes as well as tourists.

Funding of €7m was allocated to deliver 11 projects, and one of these successful projects was the 3km extension to the Great Southern Trail – Abbeyfeale to Kilmorna.

It is this trail that is being opened by Minister Varadkar today, and it completes the Great Southern Trail in Limerick.

Extension

The cycleway involved the extension of an additional 3km section of the Great Southern Trail from Abbeyfeale to Kilmorna on the Kerry border which runs along the old Limerick to Tralee rail line.

Its completion means that the main urban settlements in West Limerick are linked by a dedicated cycle/walkway, which utilises an unused section of State infrastructure.

The trail follows the route taken by the Limerick-Tralee railway line, and takes in Newcastle West, Rathkeale and Abbeyfeale to the Kerry border.

The department explained:

Both on road routes and off road routes are being funded. There are over twenty access points to the Great Southern Trail from various public road in Limerick to facilitate locals and those who wish to do loop walks/cycles.

More information on the national cycle network can be found here.

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