Rail line handover paves the way for walking route

Agreement from CIÉ to transfer the ownership of sections of a disused railway line to Kerry County Council has paved the way for the development of a major cycling and walking route.

Alan Kelly, the public transport minister, has confirmed that the council is to become the owner of sections from Tralee to Fenit and from Listowel to the Co Limerick border.

This follows a separate announcement of some €3.9m for the South Kerry Greenway, which will run from Glenbeigh to Reenard and on which development work is due to start soon.

However, plans for the north Kerry route have been dogged by controversy, with objections from local farmers claiming ownership rights to the closed railway line.

But CIÉ had always been adamant it was the sole owner and its decision to transfer the disputed section from Listowel to the Limerick border will allow for the extension of the Great Southern Trail.

A stretch of the trail from Rathkeale to the Kerry border, outside Abbeyfeale, has been completed and the plan now is to have the trail running all the way the Tralee.

When opened, the trails are expected to give a massive boost to Kerry’s multi-million euro tourism industry.

The 30km South Kerry Greenway, which skirts the mountains and overlooks Dingle Bay, is already being flagged as having the potential to be an international attraction.

Meanwhile, work on repair of storm damage at a popular beach along the greenway route has been completed by the council at a cost of €150,000.

The carpark at Kells was washed away during the December and January storms. Supporting walls and the slipway were also damaged.

The beach has been reopened and was used by hundreds of people during the recent fine spell.

Pat Kavanagh, of IRD Foilmore/Kells, welcomed completion of the work, saying the beach and Kells bay were the backbone of tourism locally.