Fight goes on despite greenway fudge

Campaigners for the opening of the Quiet Man Greenway between Athenry and Milltown have vowed to continue their fight, despite what they have branded a “political fudge” at a meeting of Galway County Council this week.

Independent Tuam area councillor Shaun Cunniffe said the campaign group intends to press ahead with an application for funding from the €53m ‘pot’ in the National Greenway Strategy before the November 30 deadline.

Cllr Cunniffe described a proposal for a greenway masterplan for the county as “a political fudge designed as a delaying tactic” by supporters of the re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor line from Athenry to Tuam, and those aligned to the Western Inter-County Raily Committee.

And Minister of State, Galway TD Ciarán Cannon, has hit out at some county councillors, saying they “no longer deserve to represent the people”.

An estimated 3,000 people attended a rally in Tuam last Sunday in support of the Quiet Man Greenway.

However, Cllr Jimmy McClearn (FG), who put forward the contentious motion, said it has been misunderstood by some people, and that it simply means consultants will “look at all possibilities” in relation to the greenway, but that he also passionately believes the rail line should be maintained.

At Monday’s local authority meeting, a motion from Cllr Cunniffe and amended by Cllr Donagh Killilea was passed 27-8 (one abstention) that the Council give an expression of interest and apply for funding to carry out a feasibility study for the establishment of a greenway on the disused railway between Athenry, Ballyglunin, Tuam, Kilconly and Milltown.

However, a counter-motion was submitted by Cllr McClearn – which has raised the ire of Quiet Man Greenway campaign – and was narrowly passed by 18-17 (one abstention).

The motion proposed that funding be sought from the Department of Transport for a feasibility study for greenways right across the county to link to National Greenway Routes, to include Clifden, Tuam, Athenry, Oranmore, Loughrea, Gort, Ballinasloe, Portumna, Headford and Glenamaddy in a ‘greenway masterplan’.

See full story – and breakdown of how the Councillors voted – in this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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