Progress made on Clonmel to Thurles Greenway project

A public meeting was held recently  at Fethard Ballroom to introduce the recent Thurles to Clonmel Greenway Feasibility Study prepared by Clandillon Civil Consulting Ltd for the Tipperary Thurles-Clonmel Greenway Project.

Over fifty people turned up to view the proposed alternative maps for public consultation or questions that will help draw amended plans for the next public consultation. 

 The plans were introduced by Seán FitzSimons, Director, Clandillon Civil Consulting Ltd, whose company, with over seventeen years of experience working on similar projects, was employed to compile the Thurles to Clonmel Greenway Feasibility Study. 

The campaign to promote a Greenway from Thurles to Clonmel came about through an idea put forward by David Morrissey on social media in 2017. David sought like-minded people who were interested in volunteering to try to get the Greenway concept developed.

The initial idea was to explore the possibility of converting the old Iarnród Éireann train line that operated up to 1964 between Thurles and Clonmel into the proposed route for a Greenway between both towns.

A small group of volunteers formed in late 2017 and made contact with Iarnród Éireann who informed us that title/ownership of the old railway line had lapsed and they effectively had abandoned ownership when they stopped providing a rail service on that line. 

Tipperary County Council were also contacted to ascertain their willingness to help develop the Greenway for Tipperary in early 2018. Unfortunately, at that point were not willing to commit to the Greenway concept.

A formal committee was formed called the Tipperary Greenway Project (TGP) group who appointed officers and a public meeting was held in the Anner Hotel in Thurles in October 2018 to raise awareness on how to achieve the creation of the Greenway between Thurles and Clonmel. The public meeting was packed and offered a groundswell of support for the creation of a Greenway. The TGP committee agreed to commission a feasibility study for proposed routes for the Greenway.  The North Tipperary Leader Partnership proved to be extremely helpful in obtaining and securing financial support for the feasibility study. The committee had to form a legal entity and it had to obtain a bank account in order to receive funds and to pay bills/fees incurred. Following a series of consultations it was agreed by the committee to accept a tender submission from Clandillion Civil Consulting in Naas, Co. Kildare for the feasibility study. Clandillion Consulting worked with the committee put forward a number of proposed routes which provides alternative proposed routes. 

It needs to be stated here that any proposed route will require the ‘buy-in’ of people living in the immediate and wider vicinity of the proposed routes. 

In 2022 momentum began to be restored and the committee is now working to promote the Greenway through a series of public meetings and consultations. 

It is planned to have further public meetings in other towns and villages along the proposed route, over the coming months also and engaging with Tipperary County Council to progress the Greenway concept.

Organisers added: “We know from speaking to colleagues in the Waterford Greenway campaign that the dividends from developing a Greenway are substantial. Users will be able to walk, run and cycle the Greenway in a safe and clean environment. We see the ever-increasing tourist numbers who travel from all parts of the country to use the Waterford Greenway.  There is no reason why those same people would not travel to Tipperary.  People want and need to be outdoors.  The benefits of being able to get out into nature are well documented and we believe that a Tipperary Greenway will help promote physical fitness, mental well-being, for local and visitor alike.”

For further information search for ‘Tipperary Greenway Project’, where you can also download a copy of the initial Feasibility Study.