current status of dublin to galway greenway

galwaycyclist · 31-10-2015 2:16pm

Qualitymark wrote: »

The gombeen spirit is alive and well in rural Ireland.

In fairness that accusation could be thrown in both directions. The manner in which the project was conducted gave the impression of classic celtic tiger - pick the most expensive options possible and direct the maximum amount of money to well known civil engineering firms.

Qualitymark · 31-10-2015 2:54pm

galwaycyclist wrote: »

In fairness that accusation could be thrown in both directions. The manner in which the project was conducted gave the impression of classic celtic tiger - pick the most expensive options possible and direct the maximum amount of money to well known civil engineering firms.

Gombeen spirit is alive in public sector Ireland…

bovis · 01-11-2015 7:32pm

I just read the official detailed report. Seems that the Greenway had significant landowner support as far as Ballinasloe. The main opposition was west of ballinasloe. Hopefully we can get agreement in the medium term.

http://www.dublingalwaygreenway.com/2015/11/detailed-report-shows-that-greenway-had.html

loyatemu wrote: »

I haven't seen the map, but it would be easier to use existing local boreens and run the greenway on the other side of the hedgerows. That way you're not creating a new route or dividing farms up.

whisky_galore · 02-11-2015 10:31am

Moflojo wrote: »

Landowner objections have caused the postponement of development of the Galway-Athlone section of the Dublin-Galway Greenway.

This crap really grinds my gears. Either the landowners are being p***ks or the authorities f**ked up the planning and construction process. Either way, the greater good of Irish society is not being served.

From today's Irish Times:

To be fair if the thing is being steamrollered through they've got every right to object. Flicked through the report and they seem to be more worried about Bord na Mona than landowners. Can I build something really small in the corner of your garden? Ah shure you'd hardly notice it was there...Thought not. It's all very well if it's someone else's property.

Qualitymark · 02-11-2015 11:28am

whisky_galore wrote: »

To be fair if the thing is being steamrollered through they've got every right to object. Flicked through the report and they seem to be more worried about Bord na Mona than landowners. Can I build something really small in the corner of your garden? Ah shure you'd hardly notice it was there...Thought not. It's all very well if it's someone else's property.

So true. Same with the eejit electricity companies who put up windmills. If they had a titter of sense they'd offer free electricity to everyone living within a kilometre of a turbine at the time it was built. I'll go bail that all the shouting would instantly die down to a "Hmm…" Nothing so powerful as an offered advantage.

kildarecommuter · 10-01-2016 10:54pm

Cycled Mullingar-Athlone today stopped in Moate on way back for coffee in golf club beside station( Signs up cyclists welcome), nice spin will be great when they complete canal section through Kildare and Meath.

Wichita Lineman · 14-03-2016 1:11pm

kildarecommuter wrote: »

Cycled Mullingar-Athlone today stopped in Moate on way back for coffee in golf club beside station( Signs up cyclists welcome), nice spin will be great when they complete canal section through Kildare and Meath.

We've installed bike racks there now at Moate Golf Club too and I noticed a few cyclists availing of them and the restaurant facilities yesterday.

loudymacloud · 14-03-2016 1:31pm

planning a cycle from North County Dublin to Athlone via Mulligar on easter Sunday, so I cant wait to get on the greenway, have heard nothing but good things about it.

was going to ask about any potentail stops but its just been pointed out there is one in Moate, which is grand.

joey100 · 14-03-2016 1:34pm

What route are you looking at going Loudy, sounds like a good spin.

mr spuckler · 14-03-2016 1:44pm

i did it last year Loudy, before the greenway had officially opened. you can get onto the canal towpath between kinnegad and mullingar, follow that into mullingar town then just need to find your way to the greenway. hopefully at this stage they have some signs up for the start of it in mullingar? i struggled to find it at the time and i know the town fairly well!

i just followed the old N4 from dublin to kinnegad btw.

not sure what bike you're on but the towpath was perfectly fine for my road bike.

loudymacloud · 14-03-2016 3:09pm

had not really decided on the route yet, I have cycled from Dublin to Athlone a couple of times, following the N4 to Kinnegad and onwards to Athlone.

Had looked into getting onto that canal path but was never too sure where it started or what state its in.

was going to head from Donabate and go across towards Rathoath and Dunshaughlin, that general direction.

i'll just wing it, I have GPS on the phone, sure what could go wrong

mr spuckler · 14-03-2016 3:17pm

loudymacloud wrote: »

had not really decided on the route yet, I have cycled from Dublin to Athlone a couple of times, following the N4 to Kinnegad and onwards to Athlone.

Had looked into getting onto that canal path but was never too sure where it started or what state its in.

was going to head from Donabate and go across towards Rathoath and Dunshaughlin, that general direction.

i'll just wing it, I have GPS on the phone, sure what could go wrong

are you me? :eek:

i had done the same a few times, the old main road is very boring so i was delighted when this became an option! finding the canal towpath is very easy if coming from kinnegad, just use the old mullingar road out of kinnegad for a short stretch, then follow the road that's signposted for killucan and it's a few miles down that road, the canal crosses under the road so you can't miss it

alternatively you could just follow the old mullingar road much further towards the downs and the canal crosses that road further along also (this option would shorten the spin).

will be interested to hear how you get on as i've often thought of doing those back roads but always chicken out on the basis of a general absence of hard shoulder.

loudymacloud · 14-03-2016 3:35pm

Cheers Mr Spuckler

looking at google maps i was thinking of coming out around the downs and getting on the towpath there.

you are right, that main road is quite boring, but like yourself was too unsure about hitting the back roads, but I do now want to avoid going through any part of the city.

so i will bite the bullet and head across country

mr spuckler · 14-03-2016 3:38pm

loudymacloud wrote: »

Cheers Mr Spuckler

looking at google maps i was thinking of coming out around the downs and getting on the towpath there.

you are right, that main road is quite boring, but like yourself was too unsure about hitting the back roads, but I do now want to avoid going through any part of the city.

so i will bite the bullet and head across country

i'll be doing this cycle from raheny once or twice later in the year so will be keen to hear how you got on

loudymacloud · 14-03-2016 3:47pm

i'll stick a bit of a report up here when ive it done.

kildarecommuter · 14-03-2016 10:31pm

Your best bet is to follow old N4 to kinnegad and take right turn signposted Killucan at Mullingar end of village, you'll come to candl bridge and towpath few Kms down the road.
There's a pub restaurant at Thomastown Harbour Nanny Quinns where you join canal if your hungry or need coffee.
Follow canal right through Mulllingar and the there is a path onto greenway from canal at Athlone end of Mullingar.

flazio · 14-03-2016 11:10pm

Isn't the canal path tarmaced from Furey's bar Moyvalley (halfway between Enfield and Kinnegad on the old N4) looks like it from street view.

kildarecommuter · 14-03-2016 11:15pm

flazio wrote: »

Isn't the canal path tarmaced from Furey's bar Moyvalley (halfway between Enfield and Kinnegad on the old N4) looks like it from street view.

It's tarmacced or gravel hardcore all the way through Westmeath from Meath border to Longford border, it may be done in other spots but no idea if it's ok from moyvalley onwards through Meath

bovis · 02-05-2016 1:46pm

kildarecommuter wrote: »

It's tarmacced or gravel hardcore all the way through Westmeath from Meath border to Longford border, it may be done in other spots but no idea if it's ok from moyvalley onwards through Meath

As Kildarecommuter said in a previous post the tarmacking starts in Thomastown/killucan. From moyvalley to killucan it's mainly grassey uneven canal towpath. Some vegetation clearing has taken place recently but the surface isn't greenway standard until thomastown/killucan.

If you're interested, we have posted a status update on the Dublin Galway Greenway on our blog:
http://www.dublingalwaygreenway.com/2016/05/you-asked-whats-going-on-with-dublin.html

galwaycyclist · 02-05-2016 3:24pm

bovis wrote: »

As Kildarecommuter said in a previous post the tarmacking starts in Thomastown/killucan. From moyvalley to killucan it's mainly grassey uneven canal towpath. Some vegetation clearing has taken place recently but the surface isn't greenway standard until thomastown/killucan.

If you're interested, we have posted a status update on the Dublin Galway Greenway on our blog:
http://www.dublingalwaygreenway.com/2016/05/you-asked-whats-going-on-with-dublin.html

I am afraid this part of your article is incorrect

As a background, the Dublin Galway greenway will be Ireland’s first cross-country cycle route covering a total distance of 210 km. It started as a strategic project for the Fine Gael/Labour government and was announced to great fanfare by Minister Leo Varadkar in 2012.

To my knowledge official proposals for a route on the Dublin Galway corridor go back to 1998 and the designation of Eurovelo2 capitals route.

http://www.eurovelo.com/en/eurovelos/eurovelo-2

So it has been around as a European project for best part of two decades.

bovis · 02-05-2016 5:36pm

Thanks @galwaycyclist, you are correct. I am not sure how long the Eurovelo route has been planned but I agree with you that the Dublin Galway greenway is part of the Eurovelo Route#2. I have changed the article to read as follows.

The greenway forms a critical part of the Dublin to Galway Euro Velo Route #2 and was announced as a strategic government project by Minister Leo Varadkar in 2012.

galwaycyclist wrote: »

I am afraid this part of your article is incorrect

To my knowledge official proposals for a route on the Dublin Galway corridor go back to 1998 and the designation of Eurovelo2 capitals route.

http://www.eurovelo.com/en/eurovelos/eurovelo-2

So it has been around as a European project for best part of two decades.

galwaycyclist · 02-05-2016 6:34pm

bovis wrote: »

Thanks @galwaycyclist, you are correct. I am not sure how long the Eurovelo route has been planned but I agree with you that the Dublin Galway greenway is part of the Eurovelo Route#2. I have changed the article to read as follows.

The greenway forms a critical part of the Dublin to Galway Euro Velo Route #2 and was announced as a strategic government project by Minister Leo Varadkar in 2012.

Well back in 1998, 1999 I was taking phone calls from Brussels to discuss it.

If it hasn't been on Government agendas in the meantime it is arguably because they have been studiously ignoring cycling as a tourism product (along with other aspects of cycling).

Carawaystick · 02-05-2016 8:18pm

I went down from North Co. Dublin in March.

Ashbourne, Rathoath Dunseachlin(sp?) Rathmoylon Summerhill and got to the Canal at Hill of Down.
It's a tarmac road up to the next bridge, then the route swaps bank to the south bank and its 3-5km of awful rutted track until you get to Westmeath

Then the surface is either rolled dust or tarmac until Mullingar. The rolled dust is ok, apart from a piece near the cutting approaching Mullingar where Frost has loosened it a bit.

After the canal crosses the N4, There's a few gates to open and close which are a bit annoying, but at least they're passable on any bike, unlike kissing gates.

rtmie · 22-08-2016 5:18pm

Carawaystick wrote: »

I went down from North Co. Dublin in March.

Ashbourne, Rathoath Dunseachlin(sp?) Rathmoylon Summerhill and got to the Canal at Hill of Down.
It's a tarmac road up to the next bridge, then the route swaps bank to the south bank and its 3-5km of awful rutted track until you get to Westmeath

Then the surface is either rolled dust or tarmac until Mullingar. The rolled dust is ok, apart from a piece near the cutting approaching Mullingar where Frost has loosened it a bit.

After the canal crosses the N4, There's a few gates to open and close which are a bit annoying, but at least they're passable on any bike, unlike kissing gates.

I was thinking of doing similar, I know the section around Hill of Down is bad, but is the section from Meath/Westmeath border onwards doable with regular road bike tyres (assume it should be if all tarmac/dust)?

Also anyone know where is the best place to access from the road if I wanted to avoid the bit around Hill of Down as mentioned by Carrawaystick?

Airplane Man · 22-08-2016 5:24pm

I havent heard anything lately about it but from what I gather it will be a fantastic project once fully completed all the way from Dublin to Galway.

mr spuckler · 22-08-2016 5:25pm

rtmie wrote: »

I was thinking of doing similar, I know the section around Hill of Down is bad, but is the section from Meath/Westmeath border onwards doable with regular road bike tyres (assume it should be if all tarmac/dust)?

Also anyone know where is the best place to access from the road if I wanted to avoid the bit around Hill of Down as mentioned by Carrawaystick?

mr spuckler wrote: »

finding the canal towpath is very easy if coming from kinnegad, just use the old mullingar road out of kinnegad for a short stretch, then follow the road that's signposted for killucan and it's a few miles down that road, the canal crosses under the road so you can't miss it
alternatively you could just follow the old mullingar road much further towards the downs and the canal crosses that road further along also (this option would shorten the spin).

i had posted this on the last page. the surface from here is fine for a road bike, i did it last year with 23s and had no problems either with grip or punctures.

bovis · 22-08-2016 5:26pm

Thomastown harbour outside killucan is a good place to start. Take the N4 to kinegad and look for the signs for killucan. Look out for Nanny Quinns pub. Head west. The route ia good.

Rgds
Bovis
www.DublinGalwayGreenway.Com

rtmie wrote: »

I was thinking of doing similar, I know the section around Hill of Down is bad, but is the section from Meath/Westmeath border onwards doable with regular road bike tyres (assume it should be if all tarmac/dust)?

Also anyone know where is the best place to access from the road if I wanted to avoid the bit around Hill of Down as mentioned by Carrawaystick?

Chuchote · 26-12-2016 11:21am

Which way does it go? Does it use the ancient Esker Riada roads? It would be a wonderful publicity factor if it did.

HivemindXX · 26-12-2016 12:22pm

Deedsie wrote: »

How come the government can easily CPO land for roads and motorways but this project is being held up by landowners? Could the government not push this stronger to complete the Dublin - Galway greenway?

When you read about it you'll find that people understand that vital infrastructure with national important like roads are necessary but these cycle routes are trivial leisure things and can't be allowed to DESTROY PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD!

They would probably be more successful in garnering support if they put it about that a bunch of hippies are blocking the route to protect the lesser tinted snail. There would probably be articles proclaiming the vital interest of tourism and mocking the long haired weirdos in hessian trousers that are blocking it.

tomasrojo · 26-12-2016 2:34pm

HivemindXX wrote: »

They would probably be more successful in garnering support if they put it about that a bunch of hippies are blocking the route to protect the lesser tinted snail. There would probably be articles proclaiming the vital interest of tourism and mocking the long haired weirdos in hessian trousers that are blocking it.

Suggesting that something might upset hippies (or their like) does seem to be a successful strategy in politics. Similarly, if something might conceivably be supported by hippies (or their like), it can be dismissed by mere ridicule, with no discussion of the pros and cons.

current status of dublin to galway greenway

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