Irish Examiner - Landmark viaduct may form part of greenway along disused rail line

gobnaitolunacy

Viaduct in pic looks more like the one near Fermoy, certainly not Chetwynd or Halfway.
*insert stock pic of any ould railway bridge, even if it's 10-15 mins away from the Examiner office...*




http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/landmark-viaduct-may-form-part-of-greenway-along-disused-rail-line-234591.html

A grant of €60,000 has been awarded to Cork County Council to advance the ambitious plans for the West Cork Abandoned Rail Lines Greenway project.

The scheme aims to develop some of the 188km of abandoned lines on the former Cork to Bandon and South Coast railway routes as dedicated off-road cycle and walking routes.

The funding will be split evenly to advance the planning and development of the Cork to Kinsale section and the Ballinascarthy to Courtmacsherry section.

The 36km Cork to Kinsale greenway will incorporate the Chetwynd and Halfway Viaducts, and Ireland’s longest railway tunnel at Ballinhassig.

The funding will be used for specialist engineering input so that the structural stability of these landmarks can be determined and recommendations made on how best to adapt them for use on the proposed route.

The Ballinascarthy to Courtmacsherry greenway will be predominantly off- road, with a 4.5km coastal section from Timoleague to Courtmacsherry already developed thanks to local community groups as part of the Seven Heads Walk.

There was a widespread welcome for the funding.

“Greenways such as these will help to give West Cork the edge over other areas and encourage tourists to pay us a visit,” said Fine Gael TD Jim Daly.

Labour TD Michael McCarthy said: “This has economic potential for local businesses, the community and will undoubtedly become a tourism asset in the area.”

Courtmacsherry-based councillor John O’Sullivan said the development of greenways in Co Mayo has increased tourism and economic activity.

“I am appealing for pro-active engagement by the landowners in West Cork and the communities to see if this project can become a reality here,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Kerry, a cycleway is to be developed along the abandoned railway line between Glenbeigh and Renard near Cahersiveen.

The 26km route will run parallel but over the Ring of Kerry roadway offering views on the peninsula.

The Department of Transport has allocated €50,000 towards the route.

The grant will mostly be used for the design and planning of the Greenway.
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved

corktina

good news to see the future of such structures safeguarded...(yes thats Fermoy....)

dowlingm

De Paper must have got confused because the Fermoy "Blue Max" viaduct also came up recently in the context of a greenway.

roundymac

dowlingm wrote: »

De Paper must have got confused because the Fermoy "Blue Max" viaduct also came up recently in the context of a greenway.

Yes, another Examiner mix-up, in it's former life as The Cork Examiner it was known locally as "The Penny Lier". Seems somethings never change.

Chetwynd Viaduct has no deck.

Here is a scary few pictures taken in 1971 when it appears to be part way through having the deck removed.

http://mahersoutdoor.blogspot.ie/2010/12/chetwynd-viaduct.html?m=1

ForiegnNational

I know that the current grants only go to cover technical surveys of the lines, but I am so glad to hear that the council is at least starting to realise the potential of these abandoned routes.

I would like to know how much funding would be available to develop the routes if they were to proceed. The Cork to Ballinhassig route over the chetwyn viaduct would cost many tens or probably hundred of thousands just to re-establish the viaduct alone.

I am very keen for the development of the greenways, but fear that cost may prevent this wonderful project from continuing.

Feasibility study: http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/562780142.pdf

Seed funding: http://www.smartertravel.ie/content/seed-funding