A €3.4m greenway project a huge boost for Kerry Attractions.

A new tourist route 26km in length is to be developed along a disused railway line along the Atlantic way, Ring of Kerry is expected to become an internationally rated tourist attraction.

A proposed 26km greenway to be developed along the unused railway line between Glenbeigh and Caherciveen. The Atlantic along the Ring of Kerry is expected to become an internationally rated tourist attraction. Transport Minister Alan Kelly yesterday announced €3.4m for the greenway from Glenbeigh to Cahirciveen, on a section of the Great Southern Railway which closed in 1960.

It as an exceptional and unique visitor attraction, he said it would bring cycling tourists, hikers and walkers and visitors from all over the world to the Ring of Kerry, creating upwards of 80 well needed jobs between construction and sustainable employment when in operation.

[caption id=”attachment_5896″ align=”alignleft” width=”133 minister for transport alan kelly

Minister Kelly said it would be the country’s number one greenway. The project will be part of a €11m funding program for cycling infrastructure nationally. Between time to be spent acquiring land and construction work, the project will take two years to complete.

We hope here locally eventually the greenway will expand to include both Killorglin and further down the going as far as Killarney.

Imagine getting off the train in Killarney and cycling to Killorglin 🙂 GREAT.

The line runs close to, even parallel to the winding Ring of Kerry road, one of the country’s busiest tourist routes.

The proposed route is along the same railway line as Killorglin to Killarney railway line

The hillside route, running over a viaduct at Kells and through tunnels, commands spectacular sea and mountain views and the development follows the success of the Great Western Greenway, in Co Mayo, which has resulted in about 40 new jobs and the sustaining of another 50 in the local economy.

Atlantic way Kerry bring local new to visitors to County Kerry Ireland

Minister Alan Kelly, with Ronan Clifford and Michael and Elaine Kavanagh, cycling on the planned greenway in County Kerry.

The announcement was welcomed in Kerry, an area hard hit by unemployment and emigration.

Pat Kavanagh, manager of IRD Foilmore/Kells, said it was a “fantastic project” that would benefit a wide area. Thirty-eight groups nationally applied for funding for similar projects and very high criteria had to be met, but this one ticked all the boxes. And won the attention of the group.

Kerry Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin said a lot of work, consensus and agreement remained outstanding to bring the greenway to fruition and hoped progress would be made to grasp an unprecedented opportunity for south Kerry and the wider Kerry area in general.

Kerry County Council, expected to put up matching funding of more than €350,000, and South Kerry Development Partnership have for several years been promoting the project and the funding application

The projects are being funded as part of the Government’s National Cycle Network. Separately, nine towns will receive €6.5m to improve their cycling infrastructure.

Thanks to the Irish Examiner for some text.