Galway to Athlone Greenway

Randy Archer

@DaCor - you could start with looking at the Euro Velo websites for a start. That ought to have been obvious

you are extremely naive if you think the route won’t be dictated by which part of the county has political power .

CPO ? Sweet Jesus . Comparing fields of uneconomical rock and bog of Kerry to the pastures of South Galway lol . “Planned” . Yes planned! Good look to the authorities succeeding when the land owners successfully defeat them in the courts !

nilhg

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117648510#Comment_117648510

Lots going on there, I'm not sure where to start, maybe with the loads of tourists hurrying to Galway on a greenway where you can ride for miles without meeting anyone?

Anyway there's no point us hashing this out, it will be what it is when the powers that be decide, one thing though, I'm not aware of any EU sourced funding for the greenways, most of it seems to come through the county councils from central government, maybe you have a link for your assertion? The 8.1 million announced last year for Galway-Athlone announced last year through TII has no mention of any EU element.

You do realise the sole purpose of this cross county project , right ? You aware of what Euro Velo is ?

considering tourists have never had next to no interest in visited many of these towns that time has forgot / aka more sheep than people, what on earth makes ye think that long distance cycling tourists want to go to these spots , completely out of the way, before getting into Galway City- they certainly ain’t appealing

The users of existing greenways would say otherwise. Again, you seem to think the purpose is to provide the shortest possible route to Galway from Dublin. Hell even the multi billion motorway doesn't even do that lol

the quite roads are prefect to get lost and to train , I don’t want to diss them because I use them 

but yes ! It will be mostly the locals using these . the walkers ruin it actually with their idiotic behaviour . Unless you are willing to cycle out a few kilometres outside the built up areas, forget about using the greenways if you want to do training

Ummm, greenways are not for training at speeds of 40-50kmph, there are toddlers, buggies, wheelchairs and walkers on them for gods sake. Any member of any cycling club will tell you that. That you don't comprehend this and seem to have a problem with this speaks volumes. So yes, please DO forget about using greenways for training. 

The original design was due to go through the Roscommon / Galway side of Co Galway and never intended to touch South Galway

The original design/route is dead and buried, pointless trying to use it as a basis for any argument and to be honest I've no idea what point you are trying to make anyway

anyway, once the county councils see what it’s going to cost, don’t expect the route being interesting . The locals , particularly the walkers get a nice extra ( most of these routes are actually deserted most of the time ,not heavily trafficked with cyclists doing long distances)

Long distance form a part of the userbase, certainly, but they are not the only users. You seem to be only focused on a subset of users and their needs, its a strange position to take considering greenways, by their very nature and design, are for all abilities and needs

Randy Archer

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117648687#Comment_117648687

I take it that you actually haven’t been on these greenways much nor have done many coast to coast cycles from Dublin - Galway and back . You also don’t take into account the typical Irish weather where rain is a common feature …

maybe try some , then come back to us

Randy Archer

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117648763#Comment_117648763

Which greenways ?

they ain’t and haven’t done a thing for Moate, Castletown , Clonard or Longford, Tullamore (canal) so….. got any actual stats to back up the claim that it has actually boasted income and retail / hotels etc for the areas along the Dublin route ? No bike shops /tours have got rich from it , and I have a friend who actually ran a tour business for the canals and the greenway and the river suck walking trails on the Roscommon /Galway border - that is not in anyway to be implied that they haven’t been fantastic additions to communities though

it’s evident that you don’t actually live along these areas or use the facilities in place ,so it’s laughable to be putting up arguments that you can’t back up. Plans and forecasts of how much money it might bring into an area is a huge difference to what it actually has brought in so far !

there’s a huge difference between the areas covering the Dublin to Galway proposed greenway (much of it through bog and middle of no where with little to see ) and a greenway like Waterford (which is class) and Kerry or even tourist hot spot like Westport .

The locals who are doing 5-10 km walks certainly were not crowding into the deli /cafe/ town to buy food thereafter , either ! (Pre Covid)

anyway, it won’t matter a jot, the private landowners will have final say, whatever route it will be, it will be welcomed because there’s great scenery around South Galway and the Galway Roscommon border and the many many roads that it will pass are rideable if one wants to detour

nilhg

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117648930#Comment_117648930

Well since you asked, not so much Dublin to Galway but there's this,

https://www.strava.com/activities/330149371

And this

https://www.strava.com/activities/1052258314

And the year after we did this

https://www.strava.com/activities/1612687938

and the day after this

https://www.strava.com/activities/1615712056

And a few weeks ago I went on my holidays

https://www.strava.com/activities/5594944909

and came home on the greenway

https://www.strava.com/activities/5611587275

Randy Archer

“shortest possible route to Galway from Dublin. Hell even the multi billion motorway doesn't even do that lol”

wow. I have heard it all now lol 😂. Think you will find that it is precisely the propose , within the confines of suitable land for a motorway

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117648930#Comment_117648930

I've read it several times but I'm struggling to see how your post is a direct reply to nilhg's.

Also, whats with the confrontational attitude. If you want a discussion, discuss, like a grown up and give the passive aggressive silliness a rest, otherwise you'll just end up on ignore lists or have your posts reported.

Which greenways ?

Which greenways what?

they ain’t and haven’t done a thing for Moate, Castletown , Clonard or Longford, Tullamore (canal) so….. got any actual stats to back up the claim that it has actually boasted income and retail for the areas along the Dublin route ?

With all due respect, if you want that info, go get it yourself, I'm not your secretary. Also, where did I make that claim?

there’s a huge difference between the areas from Dublin to Galway (much of it through bog and middle of no where with little to see ) and a greenway like Waterford (which is class) and Kerry

You are absolutely correct, there are huge differences in the geography of Ireland

You edited your post after I posted the above, but to be honest you keep jumping from topic to topic, make little sense in a lot of what you are saying and seem to just want to belittle so I'll be leaving it there.

I will, however, answer your point about being a user and say that I have done the full length of the great western greenway, the old rail trail, most of waterford and the canal from Mullingar up to.......can't honestly recall, but did a good stretch. Not sure what relevance or bearing any of that has on anything I've posted or that it increases or lessens the value of those posts, but you seem to think it has some bearing so I'll let you determine the value of that knowledge

Randy Archer

“Ummm, greenways are not for training at speeds of 40-50kmph, there are toddlers, buggies, wheelchairs and walkers on them for gods sake. Any member of any cycling club will tell you that. That you don't comprehend this and seem to have a problem with this speaks volumes. So yes, please DO forget about using greenways for training.”

where did I say training in built up areas ? I didn’t !

toddlers , buggies ,wheelchairs ,walkers ? outside of the built up areas ? Yep, you have never been on these greenways !!! You won’t find many of them 10 km away from the main built up areas at all. once you go out 5-10 km of those areas, you won’t and don’t see many walkers , certainly not buggies etc

There’s PLENTY of Kms for cyclists to get a bit of training in safely, miles away from any of these lot ! . You clearly haven’t cycled these greenways or canals in full . They are next to empty most days ,once you get out of the built up areas (which is great by the way)

I clearly, stated cyclists can’t speed around the built up areas. I have no qualms about that . I have to assume you are capable of reading and comprehension, so you are either dishonest or trying badly to pick an argument that you won’t be able to stand

The stupidity of walkers include the following :

1. not walking on the correct side of the greenway , as you would if you were walking a country road
2. Actually standing smack in the middle of the cycleway yapping away as if the world revolves around ye
3. dogs unleashed , children allowed to run around
4. walking with headphones on, in built up areas (not an issue once you are out of those areas)
5. Walking three - four abreast talking up the entire path

you seem to be seriously under the mistaken notion that these greenways would ever have been considered, never mind constructed, but for the CYCLING tourism boom . They defianntly wouldn’t have existed if the county councils were left to their own devices, sure many a populist councillor had notions of rebuilding rail tracks and train , thinking, bizarrely that it would have brought ghost towns back to life .

The walkers would have been back to walking the country lanes, fields and trials and certainly no inter county trials , if it weren’t for the promotion of the trans European cycling project

Randy Archer

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117649021#Comment_117649021

no Confrontion at all. If he wants you make clearly unsubstantiated and I’ll informed and naive comments, which clearly aren’t backed up with any experience of ridding these routes , and then put up laughable memes , well, that’s on him, he ought not complain when he can’t back it up though .

I never understand why people stick their oar into a discussion when they haven’t the basic understanding of the topic and then play victim and waffle about confrontation when they are rebutted , but sure, that’s the way people are now days

Randy Archer

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117648983#Comment_117648983

You are having a laugh lol . Kindly read carefully, this is clearly what I said . Your fine cycling achievements don’t rebut a single thing .

“I take it that you actually haven’t been on these greenways much nor have done many coast to coast cycles from Dublin - Galway and back . You also don’t take into account the typical Irish weather where rain is a common feature”

With the exception of the last sentence, none of those rides are remotely relevant to any experience of Galway to Dublin Greenway (obviously, those rides are miles better kudos)

mizen to malign head … total false equivalence of epic proportions - a famous established route based on an achievement of doing each of the extreme points on the island . a journey people from all over the world come to do . Predominately road too ! Not a km of greenway in 20015 either . It doesn’t address what i said , just shows that you are a totally radical road warrior , bar the last ride with the canal and barely 5km of the Athlone - Mullingar greenway going into Mullingar lol - not exactly authoritative

doesn’t remotely rebut the reality that the Mullingar - Athlone greenway is pretty empty most days of the week, once you pass out of the built up areas , and the Athlone to the outskirts of Galway city won’t be much different for many kilometres (which is not a bad thing)

A point already clearly pointed out with regard to comparisons to the Mayo, Kerry and Waterford Greenways ie actual tourist hotspots

the comments clearly refer to the Dublin to Galway greenway, ,which you clearly have little to no familiarity with ; the current and the proposed route ie through bogs and villages that towns forgot with little to no tourist attractions . Ie the Ballinasloes , Aughrim , Laramcetowns , Loughrea etc of this world

nilhg

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117649154#Comment_117649154

Ah Lord, I'm stepping away from this, first rule is don't feed the troll, I've posted links to my strava, where I've ridden the greenway, I've asked you to clarify your comments about EU money which you ignored and you call me naive and ill informed. I'm sure your local politicians will be delighted to see you coming when you make your representations on the new Galway to Athlone greenway.

Randy Archer

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117649021#Comment_117649021

Ah, you did!

I said

“considering tourists have never had next to no interest in visited many of these towns that time has forgot / aka more sheep than people, what on earth makes ye think that long distance cycling tourists want to go to these spots , completely out of the way, before getting into Galway City- they certainly ain’t appealing”

You claimed otherwise

“ The users of existing greenways would say otherwise”

that’s for you to back that up !

if was pointed out to you that specific areas on this specific greenway haven’t gained economically from it as promised . Wow, with one or two rides, you think you know better than someone who uses it regularly

your response ? Nonsense about secretaries and alleging that wasn’t what you claimed ….

but then, you are the chap who seems to think that the building of motorways isn’t about getting people from A to B as fast as possible, with the suitable land permitting to do so .

But I saved the best examples of distortion for last

You said :

“Ummm, greenways are not for training at speeds of 40-50kmph, there are toddlers, buggies, wheelchairs and walkers on them for gods sake. Any member of any cycling club will tell you that. That you don't comprehend this and seem to have a problem with this speaks volumes. So yes, please DO forget about using greenways for training.”

You WILL NOT find any of those users outside 10 km of the built up areas of Athlone, Moate and Mullingar on the current Mullingar -Athlone line and that most certainly won’t be much different for the vast majority of kilometres that will be used for the Athlone Galway line on most days of the week , due to the fact that they are more sheep than people in those areas - thus leaving you with miles of free road to let rip

ANY PERSON WHO ACTUALLY RIDES THAT GREENWAY REGULARLY , WILL TELL YOU THAT , alas, you seem to think different after one or two visits - stick you what you know, chief

Fabulous dishonest attempt of distortion to falsely suggest that I remotely implied that training could be done around the built up areas , when it was specifically excluded

nilhg

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117649263#Comment_117649263

I really shouldn't do this but you'll find that most or all of those town you mention are on this Audax I did not so long ago

https://www.strava.com/activities/1414440648

I'll also tell you I live in Kildare not too far from the Royal canal greenway, and only a few KMs from the new Barrow Blueway and 10kms from the Grand canal greenway which will meet the Shannon at Shannon Harbour. I'm well familiar with all the issues with Blueways/Greenways, despite what you want to think.

Anyway that's my final word on this, unless someone wants to talk about the project itself.

Randy Archer

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117649303#Comment_117649303

You are right , you REALLY REALLY SHOULD NOT

NOT A single km of the Mullingar to Athlone greenway ,and the Likely Athlone to Galway route , and all road (mostly great rides for cycling ) .

last I checked, Kildare is o where near the specific greenway, neither is Shannon Harbour (nor will it be)

It most certainly doesn’t even touch on the fact that much of the route and proposed route will be deserted bar the built up areas

Completely IRRELEVANT. So, ya, you really shouldn’t have

those said areas aren’t exactly hotspots for tourism, (well bar the Slieve Bloom area for serious cyclists like your good self - a greenway link to that area would be savage as the roads are dicey with traffic , especially the Athlone to Ferbane road) the main purpose of the greenway - the actual point made , which you chose to ignore (intentionally or not, I cant tell)

Royal canal won’t go anywhere near the proposed Athlone - Galway route bar the disused part in Ballinasloe

All your strava links do is show off your epic road warrior awesomeness (kuddos) It doesn’t address the likelihood of the greenway itself and the fact that it’s unlikely that the Route between Athlone to Galway is going to add on extra kilometres so that a many back arse of no where villages in South Galway (which I love cycling around) are going to be added onto an already lengthy and costly (and awesome, well, I most parts) coast to coast greenway , even if it makes sense in terms of a few attractions like an auld monastery (yawn) or ring fort and endless bog , which can be already be found in Longford via the canal or much of the Athlone - Mullingar route

It be fantastic if it were to occur , but don’t hold your breath . Landowners ain’t going to budge . Galway county council haven’t covered themselves in glory for the past 6 years , and some of them clowns would have it adjacent to the R446 (a nice road to cycle on btw) or worse , along the rail line , if they have their way ..

the likelihood of the route going through the Roscommon side of Athlone down to Shannon bridge rather than go straight to Ballinasloe via the bog / adjacent to the R446 will already be costly enough (need to upgrade the bog train bridge to achieve this , thus more money on top of the new bridge to be built in Athlone ) and add more kilometres . People of Portumna are tripping if they think this line is going down towards them too

but, this won’t affect the likes of you because you have no qualms tackling the roads

ratracer

https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/liaison-personnel-contacting-farmers-regarding-plans-to-develop-greenway-between-galway-and-athlone/

Qw

buffalo

Those campaigning for the red route will be pleased: https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/details-of-preferred-route-corridor-for-athlone-galway-greenway-emerge/

Galway Bay FM news has learned that Red Route 5, which will pass through South and East Galway, has emerged as the preferred route.

As the final leg of a national Greenway connecting Dublin to Galway, a number of towns and villages will be featured on Route 5 including Ballinasloe, Portumna, Gort, Kinvara, Clarinbridge, Oranmore and Ballyloughane Beach, before reaching Galway city.

ratracer

Great news, now just get it built 😀😀

Ranleth

Would love to see some sort of phased plan. I was in Coole park a few weeks back and they were doing a lot of work upgrading the route, should be ideal for cycling.

jamesd

Great route - really scenic.

degzs

Any idea when it would be completed once they decided on the route?

Nothing happens fast in Galway so would be nice in the next 10 years

Ranleth

https://www.galwaytoathlonecycleway.com/pages/consultation.php

cletus

Am I right in saying that according to the time line above, they hope to begin construction in 2024? So everything running smoothly it will be, minimum, end of 2025 before it's open

ratracer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299641#Comment_118299641

That seems to be the talk on the ground along the route anyway, but I suppose that will be largely dependent on how smoothly any land-acquisition goes.

it would be great if it was done on time though. Apart from living near it, so being biased, I still think it was the correct route to choose, as any smaller routes might then proceed quicker after it’s opened.

Butson

Fantastic to see this come to reality.

Spur into Ballinasloe should link up to the North East of Co. Galway, handy for hotels / accommodation on the route too.

Mercian Pro

Can't really see myself using it much on a Dublin-Galway spin. Has anyone worked out what the total distance city to city will be? I've a nice route that largely avoids main roads that comes to 216 km.

Breezer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118303095#Comment_118303095

Do you have that available anywhere to share, please?

buffalo

Worth publicising that there's now another public consultation open on the preferred route at https://www.galwaytoathlonecycleway.com/

Closing date 31st Jan.

Interactive map

https://rps-ireland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=eca7f3b96b1640b2b606585269170f9b

After looking at some of the most recent documentation for this, I think this is going to end up being a case study in how to not design a route