Ireland’s longest greenway named ‘Cycle Route of the Year’ in European awards

“Significantly more activity has arisen in a somewhat forgotten area,” jury says

The Royal Canal Greenway at the Boyne Aqueduct and Boyne Viaduct, Co Meath

The Royal Canal Greenway at Mullen Bridge, Maynooth Harbour, Co Kildare

The Royal Canal Greenway at the Boyne Aqueduct and Boyne Viaduct, Co Meath

The Royal Canal Greenway at Mullen Bridge, Maynooth Harbour, Co Kildare

The Royal Canal Greenway at the Boyne Aqueduct and Boyne Viaduct, Co Meath

April 20 2022 08:55 AM

Ireland’s longest greenway has been named ‘Cycle Route of the Year 2022’ at the Dutch walking and cycling fair, Fiets en Wandelbeurs.

The Royal Canal Greenway, which stretches 130km from Maynooth, Co Kildare to Cloondara, Co Longford, beat off competition from Germany’s Badischer Weinradweg, Belgium’s Vlaanderenroute and the Netherlands' LF Waterlinieroute to take the title.

“The narrow waterway meanders through a beautiful and varied landscape, with meadows, forests and moors,” said a citation from the fair run by event, holiday and marketing company Hicle.

“Along the way you will come across 90 old bridges and more than 30 locks. You will see a typical Irish landscape with stone walls, sheep and ruins.

"And in the evenings, in accordance with Irish tradition, the residents sit relaxed with a pint.”

Fiets en Wandelbeurs is a fair aiming to stimulate the development of high-quality routes, and is normally attended by more than 40,000 cyclists. This April, however, it was held online due to Covid.

Its ‘ Cycle Route of the Year’ award is judged by a jury of three experts, who cited the Royal Canal Greenway’s clear signage, road surface, and the use of the route by both tourists and locals.

“Significantly more activity has arisen in a somewhat forgotten area,” they added.

“In many places there are now pubs and restaurants, and horse trailers have been converted into trendy coffee places on the water. All the enthusiasm around the greenway makes this route great for cycling.”

The Royal Canal Greenway at Mullen Bridge, Maynooth Harbour, Co Kildare

The Royal Canal Greenway was relaunched last year after a €12m restoration.

At total of 600,000 visits were recorded in its first year, deriving €17.2m for the local economy, according to Waterways Ireland, which developed the route in partnership with the local authorities of Kildare, Meath, Westmeath and Longford.

“I am delighted by this international recognition of the exceptional waterway heritage and Irish countryside experience offered by the Royal Canal Greenway,” said Waterways Ireland chief executive John McDonagh.

“The Royal Canal Greenway truly has the winning formula,” added Longford County Council cathaoirleach Cllr Peggy Nolan, who called it “a fantastic amenity for tourists and locals alike”.

A towpath on the greenway in days gone by

Ireland has seen something of a boom in greenways in recent years, with a refurbishment of the Limerick Greenway launching last year, and a €6.8m extension of the Waterford Greenway under way.

The 46km trail linking Waterford with Dungarvan was this year named ‘ Ireland’s Best Visitor Attraction’ in the Irish Independent Reader Travel Awards, and won silver in the ‘Excellence’ category at the European Greenways Award 2021.

Last year, funding of €63.5m was allocated to several off-road walking and cycling projects, including €9m for the New Ross to Waterford Greenway, €10m for Cork's Middleton to Youghal Greenway and €5.5m for an expansion of Mayo’s Great Western Greenway.