Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

Muckyboots

Del.Monte wrote: »

As an aside, it's a good many years since I travelled over the Athenry/Claremorris section but I don't remember anything particularly scenic about it - am I wrong? The Waterford, Westport/Achill and even the Limerick Greenways all have scenery - is it another build it and they will come scenario?

Ya, nothing to see around here. Feck off with the lot of ye. Mountains and sea that's scenery. We've just got plain old countryside. Balls up the tourist rail argument too. Freight or nothing. The smellier the better.

Muckyboots

Del.Monte wrote: »

As an aside, it's a good many years since I travelled over the Athenry/Claremorris section but I don't remember anything particularly scenic about it - am I wrong? The Waterford, Westport/Achill and even the Limerick Greenways all have scenery - is it another build it and they will come scenario?

Ya, nothing to see around here. Feck off with the lot of ye. Mountains and sea that's scenery. We've just got plain old countryside. Balls up the tourist rail argument too. Freight or nothing. The smellier the better.

Del.Monte

Muckyboots wrote: »

Ya, nothing to see around here. Feck off with the lot of ye. Mountains and sea that's scenery. We've just got plain old countryside. Balls up the tourist rail argument too. Freight or nothing. The smellier the better.

Something like this?

rebel456

Del.Monte wrote: »

As an aside, it's a good many years since I travelled over the Athenry/Claremorris section but I don't remember anything particularly scenic about it - am I wrong? The Waterford, Westport/Achill and even the Limerick Greenways all have scenery - is it another build it and they will come scenario?

I don't go to a Greenway for the scenery - any type of field & the odd town/village/suburb is grand. I go for a cycle away from roads, much much safer as any road in Ireland from small boreen to city streets to N roads has eejits speeding. Also away from the exhaust pollution & noise. Come to think of it the Mullingar/Athlone greenway is mostly flat & straight, not the most scenic. Greenways are a decent attraction in their own right.

bk

Del.Monte wrote: »

As an aside, it's a good many years since I travelled over the Athenry/Claremorris section but I don't remember anything particularly scenic about it - am I wrong? The Waterford, Westport/Achill and even the Limerick Greenways all have scenery - is it another build it and they will come scenario?

The truth is even the least "scenic" parts of Ireland are vastly more scenic then most of Europe and large parts of the world in general. Much more scenic then much of the land people love cycling through in Holland for instance.

I notice many, if not most, Irish people completely take for granted just how beautiful our countryside is. We grew up with it all around us, so take it for granted.

But having travelled around the world and having travelled around Ireland with foreign friends and seen it through their eyes, I now realise how insanely scenic nearly the entire country of ours is to them.

If we build green-ways all over the country and link them up, I promise you, we won't know what to do with the massive influx of German, etc. cyclists. We are really sitting on a tourist goldmine right under our feet, if only we could be less closed minded.

westtip

Del.Monte wrote: »

As an aside, it's a good many years since I travelled over the Athenry/Claremorris section but I don't remember anything particularly scenic about it - am I wrong? The Waterford, Westport/Achill and even the Limerick Greenways all have scenery - is it another build it and they will come scenario?

Ah yes the "no scenery argument" it reminds me so much of a submission I made to those W*******s in Mayo County Council planning department on February 12th 2014 (go look for it - its on the MAYO COCO WEBSITE!

Submission on the draft Mayo county plan

West on Track State
It is stated that comparing the Claremorris-Collooney rail line to the Great Western Greenway is
disingenuous as the latter is built along the route of a railway that was formally abandoned before
its removal in 1937 and runs through some of the most magnificent scenery in Co. Mayo whereas
there is no comparable scenery along the Claremorris-Collooney route which remains a rail line in
the possession of the state.

Response: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, clearly this disparaging comment about the quality of the scenery on the route is at best ignored. Clearly West on Track have no appreciation of the honest open country side the route travels through with lovely views of the Ox mountains, Nephin, or Croagh Patrick in the distance. Nor does West on Track appreciate the numerous businesses and hostelries on the route that simply want to welcome the tired hungry tourists off their bikes and into their businesses to enjoy some West of Ireland hospitality. It is a pity West on Track cannot see the beauty of their own county.

Mayo county council ignored the 300 submissions asking for a greenway through this stunning countryside

bk

MOD: Snipped out the name their. Thanks

Stephen15

Del.Monte wrote: »

As an aside, it's a good many years since I travelled over the Athenry/Claremorris section but I don't remember anything particularly scenic about it - am I wrong? The Waterford, Westport/Achill and even the Limerick Greenways all have scenery - is it another build it and they will come scenario?

True enough I know someone who did the Mullingar-Athlone greenway and they said it was crap nothing to see

eastwest

Del.Monte wrote: »

As an aside, it's a good many years since I travelled over the Athenry/Claremorris section but I don't remember anything particularly scenic about it - am I wrong? The Waterford, Westport/Achill and even the Limerick Greenways all have scenery - is it another build it and they will come scenario?

Yes, nothing to see. No ribbon development, no backs of trucks, no traffic lights, no exhaust fumes.
Just flat trails through unspoiled countryside, hedgerows, streams, trees, railway heritage, open countryside, bogs etc.
The kind of experience that has proved so popular elsewhere.

westtip

Del.Monte wrote: »

As an aside, it's a good many years since I travelled over the Athenry/Claremorris section but I don't remember anything particularly scenic about it - am I wrong? The Waterford, Westport/Achill and even the Limerick Greenways all have scenery - is it another build it and they will come scenario?

Fair play to Sligo Greenway co-op they have exposed some of the dreadful scenery (not a patch on Achill) here on their website, it is pure dreadful, sure no one in their right mind would want to enjoy this tranquility

http://www.sligogreenway.com/

and if you go to their fb page there are more photos of the dreadfully boring scenery you will see and the dreadfully inhospitable Sligo people who will have the audacity of welcoming you with open arms once the greenway is built.

Shocking stuff. Down with this sort of thing.

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=sligo%20greenway%20co-op%20ltd

Del.Monte

westtip - God loves a trier. I'll be the first to admit I was wrong if the wretched Claremorris/Collooney Greenway gets established and proves to be a success.

westtip

Del.Monte wrote: »

westtip - God loves a trier. I'll be the first to admit I was wrong if the wretched Claremorris/Collooney Greenway gets established and proves to be a success.

It will probably be Collooney/Charlestown first as the backward thinking Mayo county council have dug their heels in - largely due to the Claremorris influence of West on Track on Cllrs who are doing as much as they can to stop a greenway in East Mayo on the closed railway. In fact the way things are going in terms of proactive support from councils we might end up with a greenway from Athenry to Milltown on Galway/Mayo border and greenway from Collooney to Charlestown on the Sligo Mayo border and the unfortunate people of East Mayo left with a rusting railway that the council will continue to refuse the notion of a greenway on, mind you it doesn't really help when the Minister for Westport will do nothing to support the greenway idea, still pandering to the views of West on Track, BTW the reason he doesn't want a greenway in East Mayo as he thinks it will somehow take trade from the Great Western Greenway, it won't and if the two are connected it will actually enhance the great western greenway, but he cannot see past the parish pump.

ClovenHoof

How dare Westip try to stop a priest from using hundreds of millions of taxpayer's money to get a first class ticket though the Pearly Gates!

eastwest

ClovenHoof wrote: »

How dare Westip try to stop a priest from using hundreds of millions of taxpayer's money to get a first class ticket though the Pearly Gates!

Yes, he should know that it's priests who bring infrastructure to the west, the holy place with the knock in it.
First they brought the airport, now they'll bring the train.
And no one can be saved who through his own fault remains outside the circle.

westtip

eastwest wrote: »

Yes, he should know that it's priests who bring infrastructure to the west, the holy place with the knock in it.
First they brought the airport, now they'll bring the train.
And no one can be saved who through his own fault remains outside the circle.

Again I say "Down with this sort of thing.":D

westtip

m17 on your bike.jpg

The end of the western rail corridor, the motorway opens this week I think, they had a big cycle ride on it last weekend, apparently thousands of cyclists on the new motorway! looks like someone left their bike behind on the motorway, perhaps we can find them a route to cycle on!

Unless this was Sean Canneys bike to promote the alternative greenway route along the hard shoulder of the motorway.....:D

MayoForSam

westtip wrote: »

m17 on your bike.jpg

The end of the western rail corridor, the motorway opens this week I think, they had a big cycle ride on it last weekend, apparently thousands of cyclists on the new motorway! looks like someone left their bike behind on the motorway, perhaps we can find them a route to cycle on!

Unless this was Sean Canneys bike to promote the alternative greenway route along the hard shoulder of the motorway.....:D

2000 cyclists were the first members of the public to travel along the new M17 as part of a fundraiser for local Lions Clubs in Tuam and Gort. Despite the inclement weather (and 40 Euro a head), it was a very popular event and it goes to show the local appetite for 'getting on your bike'.

eastwest

MayoForSam wrote: »

2000 cyclists were the first members of the public to travel along the new M17 as part of a fundraiser for local Lions Clubs in Tuam and Gort. Despite the inclement weather (and 40 Euro a head), it was a very popular event and it goes to show the local appetite for 'getting on your bike'.

Not all 'Dublin 4 types' then?

westtip

MayoForSam wrote: »

2000 cyclists were the first members of the public to travel along the new M17 as part of a fundraiser for local Lions Clubs in Tuam and Gort. Despite the inclement weather (and 40 Euro a head), it was a very popular event and it goes to show the local appetite for 'getting on your bike'.

Build it and they will come!

eastwest

I see that a minister is one of the people cycling the route from Enniskillen to Tuam today in support of the greenway project.
Surely nobody still believes that government support is for opening a railway on the route? Ministers don't do things like this without checking with the boss.

Corca Baiscinn

eastwest wrote: »

I see that a minister is one of the people cycling the route from Enniskillen to Tuam today in support of the greenway project.
Surely nobody still believes that government support is for opening a railway on the route? Ministers don't do things like this without checking with the boss.

I don't think there is Gov support for the reopening of the WRC but that's a long way from saying that there will be funding for the 2 Greenways being supported by the Minister today. It would be by far the longest Greenway funded to date and I doubt mid-term capital review will stretch to it but suppose it could be done in sections over several years. What's interesting is that Minister of State until recently and constituency rival of Ciaran Cannon is Seán Canney. He of course is a mate of Min for Transport Shane Ross who permitted the "Review " of the WRC. I'm dying to see the coverage of the end of this cycle in Athenry to see who is winning the constituency war.

Muckyboots

Corca Baiscinn wrote: »

eastwest wrote: »

I see that a minister is one of the people cycling the route from Enniskillen to Tuam today in support of the greenway project.
Surely nobody still believes that government support is for opening a railway on the route? Ministers don't do things like this without checking with the boss.

I don't think there is Gov support for the reopening of the WRC but that's a long way from saying that there will be funding for the 2 Greenways being supported by the Minister today. It would be by far the longest Greenway funded to date and I doubt mid-term capital review will stretch to it but suppose it could be done in sections over several years. What's interesting is that Minister of State until recently and constituency rival of Ciaran Cannon is Seán Canney. He of course is a mate of Min for Transport Shane Ross who permitted the "Review " of the WRC. I'm dying to see the coverage of the end of this cycle in Athenry to see who is winning the constituency war.

What Ciaran Cannon did for Tuam today will not only win him votes but has cemented respect and friendship from a wide group of voters. The other fellow was calling out the badly broken business community to get their act together ( even though he turns a deaf ear to their Greenway proposal ). Canney will hold his seat, but in the long run he i irrelevant to the Greenway debate. Unless of course he can have the WRC opened in the next 6 months.... Mmm, not going to happen.

eastwest

Muckyboots wrote: »

What Ciaran Cannon did for Tuam today will not only win him votes but has cemented respect and friendship from a wide group of voters. The other fellow was calling out the badly broken business community to get their act together ( even though he turns a deaf ear to their Greenway proposal ). Canney will hold his seat, but in the long run he i irrelevant to the Greenway debate. Unless of course he can have the WRC opened in the next 6 months.... Mmm, not going to happen.

I would have agreed with you a few months ago about Canney holding his seat, but not now. He has badly underestimated the level of support in Tuam for the greenway and has fallen at a particularly predictable political hurdle -- relying on the group think mentality of a small number of his cronies.
Unless he gets on board quickly, cannon will.take most of his votes in Tuam.

Tuam business folks make presentations to the Municipal District Council, along with a 3,000 signature petition

Reported in the Sept 13 Tuam Herald

rebel456

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Tuam business folks make presentations to the Municipal District Council, along with a 3,000 signature petition

Reported in the Sept 13 Tuam Herald

Fantastic joined up action by the sensible local business community.

Cue the regular anti-greenway brigade still claiming the proposal has 'no local support'.

eastwest

rebel456 wrote: »

Fantastic joined up action by the sensible local business community.

Cue the regular anti-greenway brigade still claiming the proposal has 'no local support'.

In fairness, very few people are now opposed to the greenway. We're down to a small handful of diehards who won't be won over by logic or public opinion.

Muckyboots

http://fermanaghherald.com/2017/09/cycle-trail-link-fermanagh-galway/ "The ambitious new Greenway could join the fields of Athenry with the Lakelands of Fermanagh".... "and could link with the planned Ulster Canal Greenway, which will link Clones and Enniskillen".

westtip

Muckyboots wrote: »

http://fermanaghherald.com/2017/09/cycle-trail-link-fermanagh-galway/ "The ambitious new Greenway could join the fields of Athenry with the Lakelands of Fermanagh".... "and could link with the planned Ulster Canal Greenway, which will link Clones and Enniskillen".

mmmm perhaps we could call it the "Western Rail Trail"

bk

MOD: Less of the sniping back and forward and less of the calling out of private persons names. Thanks

westtip

Muckyboots wrote: »

http://fermanaghherald.com/2017/09/cycle-trail-link-fermanagh-galway/ "The ambitious new Greenway could join the fields of Athenry with the Lakelands of Fermanagh".... "and could link with the planned Ulster Canal Greenway, which will link Clones and Enniskillen".

Dont forget what Cllr Gerry "not up for discussion" Murray said

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7G_Zd47HRc