Bord na Móna submits plans to develop a tourism trail throughout Longford towns

Bord na Móna have requested permission from Longford County Council to develop a tourism trail located on the Bord na Móna lands.

The original request was placed on 7 July earlier this year; however, Longford County Council requested further information about the biodiversity of the areas that the trail is planned to span. 

The request follows Bord na Móna’s June suggestion that they were planning to develop 79 km of walking and cycling trails under a new Fáilte Ireland scheme. 

The Longford trail is one of these developments.

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They received €3.6 million towards the project under Fáilte Ireland’s EU Just Transition Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme.

This scheme aims to boost sustainable economic opportunities in the Midlands and tourism. More than €32 million of investment grants will be injected into tourism-related projects.

The new request was submitted Friday, 11 October, and gave a more detailed description of Bord Na Móna’s plans for the Longford townlands of Cloonbony, Kilnacarrow, Ballynakill, Begnagh, Corragarrow, and Cloonmore.

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Regarding the Longford network, Bord Na Mona plans to develop a series of walking trails across these areas. The trails are planned to repurpose 5.2 km of an existing former rail bed.

The network will also utilize 3.1km along existing bog headlands and former Highfields and 185m of pre-existing machine access routes.

Several gateway locations throughout the trails are planned to have bicycle and car parking areas.

Permission for five new gateways has been requested as well as three resting points.

Bord na Móna has also requested the provision of two more gateways along the proposed trail routes. Provision for one of these gateways in Lanesborough will include plans for a pavilion as well as a stairway and a ramp to access the car park facility. A totem feature and a pavilion have been planned for two other gateways along the trail.

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Furthermore, on the northern section of the route, located within the Cloonmore townland, Bord na Móna has requested a ‘Thematic Experience’. The Thematic experience will be an 8-meter framed structure with a periscope to view the surrounding landscape.

The fitting of another gateway, handrails on an existing bridge, and a new fence line along the center of the existing bridge with key holder gated access for any maintenance vehicles that may need to pass through has been requested.

Improvement works are hoped to be undertaken on existing agricultural crossings as well as upgraded works for road crossings. 

Wayfinding and interpretive signage along the route are included in the plans.

Screens and fencing will be installed to ensure the safety of the flora and fauna in the bog areas of the trail to preserve the biodiversity of the area. 

Longford County Council will deliver their decision on the network development on 5 December this year.