Monasteries of the Moy

monument

Something like this below is what I had in mind:

**CLEARLY THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL PLAN***

Only ~2.25km new build and same is over private lands but could be done with permission access as with the Great Western Greenway and the new Castlebar greenway. Resurfacing etc could be looked at on the current roads and paths but even the Great Western Greenway open without back roads it uses being redone -- it can be made better later.

2.5km -- Outline of main Belleek path near river (green)
1.5km -- New build link 1 (yellow)
1.2km -- Current quite back road section 1 (blue)
0.45km -- New build link 2 (orange)
0.15km -- Current quite back road section 2 (black)
0.3km -- New build link 3 (purple)
0.4km -- Current path (off-yellow)
0.4km -- Current road into Rosserk (silver)

(Only a small section of the Belleek path shown)

mezuzaj

Would it not be better to follow the Cost as much as possible and connect the 2 Monasteries?

However it would be a good path the one you outlined.

finisklin

I can see where you are coming from on that.

Only thing is that there is some big dairy farmers and not sure how they would take to have their land split. Certainly for slurry spreading it would be cumbersome crossing etc. That is very fertile land along the moy and is particularly busy in the summer months with silage.

Hard to get the path adjacent to the river due to the conditions e.g. hedgerows, mud, and solid ground.

What is clear from your route is that the 250k is not going to get this very far.

mezuzaj

They need to construct a wooden path similar to what Glendalough has over its marsh areas.


Best thing would be to follow the shore line and avoid the farms.. However they need more than 250k.....

monument

mezuzaj wrote: »

Would it not be better to follow the Cost as much as possible and connect the 2 Monasteries?

I went for a balance of costs by trying to use the very quite roads and paths which are there, and that includes costal or not.

Connecting the two Monasteries will likely only ever be done on a phased bases. And it's best to start connected to the population centre, hub of hotels and place where there's already a path (the woods).

Getting even a first phase up and running is so important.

finisklin wrote: »

What is clear from your route is that the 250k is not going to get this very far.

I'd could see the 250k going on making the woods a little better and just planning and designing for the rest.

I don't know if 250k would even get us to Rosserk, but if it can be done it's worth a shot on a route like the one I outlined.

A fear of mine is that after the woods they send people out onto the main backroad -- which isn't quite enough to be part of a greenway. It'd be ok for touring cyclists, but not so great for people with children or even just people who want to cycle away from traffic.

finisklin wrote: »

I can see where you are coming from on that.

Only thing is that there is some big dairy farmers and not sure how they would take to have their land split. Certainly for slurry spreading it would be cumbersome crossing etc. That is very fertile land along the moy and is particularly busy in the summer months with silage.

Hard to get the path adjacent to the river due to the conditions e.g. hedgerows, mud, and solid ground.....

I'll reply to both of these points below...

mezuzaj wrote: »

They need to construct a wooden path similar to what Glendalough has over its marsh areas.

Best thing would be to follow the shore line and avoid the farms.. However they need more than 250k.....

Looking at the maps, following the shore line would cause problems of its own in intersecting with things like internal access roads on farms and following the shape of the shore could result in chopping off more land than following straighter field boundaries a bit inland.

Going with the wooden path suggested by mezuzaj, the main problem would be a massive expensive of building and up-keeping anything like a wooden path over a long distance.

Even if following the shoreline was done, only doing so inside the field boundaries would likely be viable for any great distance.

Closer to the river you're likely also talking more environmental concerns and costs because of that too.

mezuzaj

Check out on Facebook tourism4mayo page. Look at the visitors centre for Moyne Abbey.

monument

The full route is now at part 8 planning and open to public comment and submissions.

mezuzaj

monument wrote: »

The full route is now at part 8 planning and open to public comment and submissions.

Hi, do you have any details that can be shared, or know where we can get info?

monument

mezuzaj wrote: »

Hi, do you have any details that can be shared, or know where we can get info?

Just seen the planning notice published in the Western People yesterday.

Plans can be viewed and copied at the Ballina civic offices. It's now fully a Mayo County Council project -- town councils in the county all merged with county council.

mezuzaj

finisklin

Are the plans outlined above in the ad, including the proposed 3 routes?

If so you have to make a submission on each/one of them?

mezuzaj

finisklin wrote: »

Are the plans outlined above in the ad, including the proposed 3 routes?

If so you have to make a submission on each/one of them?

Who is the question aimed at? I think the only way is to see the plans at the civic office.

monument

They need to rename the PR name for the route chosen -- it does not go near the monasteries!

Photo of a poor quality printout of the route attached -- note the red circles around Ballina, Killala and the two monasteries.

Re the objections reported on the Western: Does anybody know the objectors' issues? It's not clear from the article.

mezuzaj

Ahh, thats why did didn't call it the Monasteries on the Moy greenway, its called the Kilalla to Ballina greenway. (no mention of the Monasteries.)

finisklin

It was MM that coined the phrase monasteries of the moy and as there is little money, practicalities has to dictate the route. In this case, when it leaves the woods it goes onto the road and what makes it pathetic is that it follows the Carrowkelly loop road which will be interesting.

There are a number of houses on this road and well the road is a lane so I am wondering where the "greenway" route is i.e. the lane itself or adjacent to it?

It looks like it doesn't cross the main Killala Ballina road. However, it is obvious that it doesn't go anywhere near the two abbeys.

Budget has killed this and any potential in it is limited. TBH, difficult to see this being completed in the next few years. All political posturing and smoke and mirrors.

Any ideas on what the 250k is to be spent on? Planning no doubt.

mezuzaj

finisklin wrote: »

It was MM that coined the phrase monasteries of the moy and as there is little money, practicalities has to dictate the route. In this case, when it leaves the woods it goes onto the road and what makes it pathetic is that it follows the Carrowkelly loop road which will be interesting.

There are a number of houses on this road and well the road is a lane so I am wondering where the "greenway" route is i.e. the lane itself or adjacent to it?

It looks like it doesn't cross the main Killala Ballina road. However, it is obvious that it doesn't go anywhere near the two abbeys.

Budget has killed this and any potential in it is limited. TBH, difficult to see this being completed in the next few years. All political posturing and smoke and mirrors.

Any ideas on what the 250k is to be spent on? Planning no doubt.

Its sickening. Before local elections we get the announcement of 250k.. Now we see the detail.

Mind you Ballina has a sense of... letting things pass. There is no local urgency about getting development to the town. They only elected on councillor from the town to Mayo county council.

I find its incredible that Moyne abbey is so underdeveloped. Practically no local will to move it forward.

Connacht

As a person not from either the Ballina or Westport areas, the difference between the va-va-voom in the two areas is striking.
Ballina and North Mayo is a truly magnificent area that has so much to offer the tourist, but remains unpackaged and unmarketed.
The town itself is wonderful, with the fabulous river running through it, Belleek Wood and (mostly) pretty streets.
The monasteries are fantastic, along with other excellent monuments like Killala round tower, megalithic tombs, Céide, Doonfeeny cross pillar, etc.
You have great beaches, cliffs, the foothills of the Ox running down towards Foxford and so on.

But for some reason, as a community and with (presumably) some community leaders, you allow Westport and west Mayo to dominate everything and to get almost all of the tourism investment in the county. I would recommend anybody to go along to a Mayo tourism event some time and listen to how it is so Westport-centric. Ballina and other areas sit meekly in the corner (so to speak) and allow all focus to remain on Westport and Clew Bay.

A Greenway from Ballina to Killala is a no-brainer. However, it is pointless if not off-road. Clearly, it should head out thru Belleek Wood and hug the coastline as much as possible and take in the monasteries. Half-baked is of little value.

Now don't get me wrong - I think Westport / Clew Bay is fantastic. But Ballina / North Mayo needs to stand up and shout.
(rant over)

mezuzaj

That is the whole problem with Ballina, it does not punch its weight in Mayo. It only elected one councillor from the town to Mayo CC.

I think the greenway is doomed to fail, it will end up using the old rail line and go nowhere near the monasteries. Moyne will continue to have beware of the bull posted and the entrance. Little will change because there is no local will to change. Very few local people care.

hollypink

I just had a look at the proposed route http://www.mayococo.ie/en/media/Media,24847,en.pdf?bcsi_scan_1FC570F51B3F2EE0=0&bcsi_scan_filename=Media,24847,en.pdf and compared it with the Monasteries of the Moy submission I found http://www.smartertravel.ie/sites/default/files/uploads/Mayo%20Co%20Council%20-%20Monasteries%20of%20the%20Moy.pdf?bcsi_scan_1FC570F51B3F2EE0=0&bcsi_scan_filename=Mayo%20Co%20Council%20-%20Monasteries%20of%20the%20Moy.pdf

I'm really disappointed, as the Westport to Achill Greenway is so great - if it doesn't go near the monasteries and it's not off-road, is it not a huge missed opportunity?

mezuzaj

hollypink wrote: »

I just had a look at the proposed route http://www.mayococo.ie/en/media/Media,24847,en.pdf?bcsi_scan_1FC570F51B3F2EE0=0&bcsi_scan_filename=Media,24847,en.pdf and compared it with the Monasteries of the Moy submission I found http://www.smartertravel.ie/sites/default/files/uploads/Mayo%20Co%20Council%20-%20Monasteries%20of%20the%20Moy.pdf?bcsi_scan_1FC570F51B3F2EE0=0&bcsi_scan_filename=Mayo%20Co%20Council%20-%20Monasteries%20of%20the%20Moy.pdf

I'm really disappointed, as the Westport to Achill Greenway is so great - if it doesn't go near the monasteries and it's not off-road, is it not a huge missed opportunity?

Politicans pulling the wool over our eyes.. It moved from Monasteries on the Moy greenway to Killala-Ballina Greenway. The monasteries have nothing at all to do with the proposed greenway.

You could not invent such bad planning. They should be showcasing the monasteries,, but burying them.

But I am not surprised, there is no local will to move the project forward and no pressure to get funding for a proper greenway.

Even without a greenway, Moyne Abbey should have proper access. There is no parking and not clear right of way to the abbey. What is a tourist supposed to make of a sign Beware of the Bull? The whole project is a pathetic attempt.

finisklin

Work has started on the first part of this, the cash is flowing or trickling initially to get it started.

The first part of the path is being build past the arch at belleek, and the athletics track. There is a pedestrian access gate on the right hand side (above the Ballina town soccer pitches, at toy factory) and the council have created a path that runs along parallel to the road towards the picnic area.

When this was mooted first and even with the planning application, I didn't envisage this being included. Is the more natural route to follow the footpath from the town alongside the river past NCF milk, Ballina house and all the way down into the back of the woods.

This kinda of made sense as no capital outlay, perhaps some signage needed and good views of the river.

With the route that they are building they have cut into a lovely green area and not a bad cross country track either at considerable expense as well.

The interesting thing is that this will access the woods at the picnic area meaning that it has to cross the road at the sewage plant. Yes I know the discreetly hidden, camoflaged sewage plant that is actually very big! Given that it processes the majority of the towns and hinterlands sewage. This is a busy access point as there is a log of trucks entering and exiting the plant during the day.

Am I over reacting or does this make sense?

Is there a method in this planning madness?

monument

I'm also not sure of the point of it.

However they do plan or at least were planning to have the road link between around here and Bohernasup. And maybe then it would make sense?

The narrowness of the road to Duffy's and Ballina FC would not allow for a greenway without some major road widening, and that looks to have been a large part of their thinking.

But the council were also saying that they may not be able to put down a tarmac surface in the woods due to cost -- I'd prefer it this section was spent on a proper, wide surface for the woods.

Tishball

It is sad that Ballina and Killala are never thought of as good tourist towns but to be fair westport is really doing the stuff. the monesteries on the moy would be a great idea, and we need to do a little more than just have signs on old buildings that say protected by the opw....... each old building needs a date,what happened, and even better yet someone willing to give a tour...... Mayo is a wonderful place , we have so much but we never exploited it. time has come for us to do so,