Dublin to Cavan by train

No trains to Cavan, just the bus.

You could get train to Edgeworthstown and then the bus.

Seeing this thread and being aware of many current projects around the country to turn disused railway lines into Greenways for walking and cycling got me thinking is there any potential for this in Cavan. Greenways seem to be a great way to attract tourists (and then make them tired, hungry and thirsty so that they will spend money!) as well as being a great local amenity.

There two main rail lines in county Cavan; link from the Midlands Great Western Railway from Multifarnham in Westmeath to the Great Northern Railway at Clones via Cavan town (with branches from Ballyhaise to Belturbet and Crossdoney to Killeshandra), and the Cavan - Leitrim Railway which ran from Belturbet to Arigna. This is perhaps better illustrated below;



From the map, there were railway lines linking some of the main towns in county Cavan passing some very scenic areas which I am sure would be popular with tourists.

So the tracks were there but are they still there? I do know that Cavan County Council used part of the railway near Kilcogy for the recent realignment of the N55. You can make out the route of the railways from the Ordnance Survey Ireland satellite images from 2005. There are a number of places where the track seems to have become a public or private road, including here and here or taken over (bought?) by a farmer, like here. Other places a section of the track seems to have disappeared in order to extend fields, like here.

I dont know if in any of these cases the land has officially changed ownership or if the current occupiers just moved in and think they can claim squatters rights to it. From other reading on this site which I assume to be true, the land has to be formally abandoned by way of Act of Parliament before adverse possession can occur because statute law trumps common law. This of course is a legal issue and I dont think there is the interest or resources here for that battle to be fought in Cavan. Unless a big precedent is set elsewhere in the country, I think the rail lines in Cavan are lost for good.

Stumbled across this thread as I have an interest in the use of old rail lines as greenways for walking/cycling.

Have there been any recent advances in plans to develop the disused rail lines around Cavan as greenways?

They are supposed to be developing a greenway from Belturbet to Ballyconnell at the moment, along the old rail line.
I haven't seen it for myself though.