Bord na Mona seeks consent for second major Offaly cycling trail

BORD na Mona has sought permission to develop a second major cycling and walking trail in Offaly.

The planning application for the Offaly East Trail follows a similar proposal for an Offaly West Trail which is currently the subject of queries from Offaly County Council.

Bord na Mona says both trails can be linked by the Grand Canal Greenway and will be a significant addition to Offaly's tourism infrastructure.

Both trails also involve the construction of new bridges across the canal but the structure proposed for west Offaly has already run into opposition.

In its request for more information from Bord na Mona the County Council says the planned 32-metre bridge is “a substantial structure” which “requires further justification”.

Located west of Pullough village and just east of Derry bridge, Bord na Mona says the new structure will replace an existing swivel bridge and will be “universally accessible” with “with gently sloping approaches”.

However, one individual has made a submission to council planners saying the bridge would be “massive and completely unacceptable” while another said it “will look awful” and asked: “Is there an uglier structure in Offaly than the footbridge over the canal in Tullamore?”

The latter observer says the length of the ramp to get to the bridge deck level would be 150 metres on each side – as long as a GAA pitch.

The same observer also questions the need for yet more roads on Bord na Mona bogs, expressing scepticism about the demand for cycling infrastructure and the whole project's viability.

He says the routes developed at Boora are 30km long with another 28km at Derrinlough wind farm: “Offaly probably has more than 200 kilometres in total, and certainly far more than any other county.”

He also says the project in west Offaly would be a “ferocious waste of Just Transition money”.

The European Union Just Transition Fund was set up to lessen the economic impact of decarbonisation on counties like Offaly where the traditional peat production industries have disappeared.

In its planning applications for the two Offaly trails, Bord na Mona says that through the Just Transition Fund, Failte Ireland has secured grant-aid to develop Regenerative Tourism & Placemaking Scheme for Ireland’s Midlands.

The energy company says its trails will fit within that plan which envisages “sustainable tourism projects that are designed to have significant regenerative impacts on local communities and peatlands”.

The focus of the scheme is to provide new employment opportunities for workers and communities that were heavily dependent on peat by diversifying the local economy, which will include new opportunities for tourism.

The Bord na Mona trail in west Offaly is to be on its land in the townlands of Cloncraff/Bloomhill, Clonascra, Ballyduff, Clonaderg, Doon Demesne, Lackagh Beg, Lackagh More, Cormore and Corbeg, Corbane, Ballydaly, Kilcolgan Beg, Turraun, Leabeg, Leamore, Oughter, Derrymore, Bunakeeran, Lumcloon and Broughal.

The route chosen by Bord na Mona does not include the western edge of Lemanaghan Bog and the local authority says it is concerned by this “opportunity lost”. The council told Bord na Mona: “There exists here a railway bed in an attractive location.”

READ NEXT: Offaly minor footballers make changes for make or break showdown with Laois

In the east of the county the Bord na Mona trail will be in the townlands of Knockballyboy, Clonad, Rathfeston, Gorteenkeel, Island, Clonarrow or Riverlyons, Drumcaw or Mountlucas, Esker Beg, Killeen, Ballyhugh, Mullalough or Cavemount, Coole, Toberdaly, Newtown, Ballycon, Esker More, Colgagh, and Clongarret. It will use nearly 17km of the former bog rail route.

The proposed new 30.5-metre bridge over the canal in the Offaly East trail will be in Coole townland between Daingean and Rhode, adjacent to an existing lift bridge.

The trail in east Offaly will run along almost 19km of the now disused peat train rail lines.

Bord na Mona has designed a nine-metre tall “totem” figure which will be located at “gateway” locations on the trails and which will resemble a giant, striding human made from repurposed steel rails.

Car and bike parks will be provided for both trails with 172 car spaces in total proposed in the west, including 30 each at Bloomhill and Clonascra, 36 at Rin, 30 at Lumcloon and 25 at Finnamore Lakes.

Bord na Mona lodged its planning application for the trail in west Offaly on January 20 and council planners sought further information on March 14.

The application for the east Offaly trail was made on April 8 and the public has until May 12 to make submissions.