by Ethan McDonagh

Despite vocal protestation from locals regarding the proposed extension of the Carlingford-Omeath ‘Greenway’ there are those who are in support of the project. The existing trail in Co. Louth provides residents and tourists with a publicly available trail for both cycling and walking. 

The proposal to extend the Greenway is part of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2030 which is advertised by our current government as being a major benefit with the announcement document stating, “the investment planned under the NDP will result in increased GDP, employment and wages out to 2030.” 

However, what these government documents don’t show is the localised impact of projects and the direct effect, whether positive or negative, they have on small communities. 

Map of existing greenway. Source: Carlingford Tourist Office 

Built along the old Dundalk Newry & Greenore railway line the Greenway, which opened in 2014, is subject to a government proposal under the NDP whereby the existing route will be extended from Carlingford to Dundalk.  

The announcement has been met with a lot of vocal opposition from locals who have taken to constructing signs saying ‘No to Greenway’ at several points along the proposed route.  

As the project would be placed on or near people’s homes and land used for agricultural purposes there has been a lot of resistance from people who believe the extension of the Greenway would only be detrimental to them and their livelihoods.  

Many of the older residents in the peninsula have bad memories of government involvement in the area when the foot and mouth disease broke out in 2001 leading to the forced killing of farmer’s livestock and eradication of the local wild deer and goat population.  

One homeowner in the locality, who wished to remain anonymous, is annoyed by the lack of proper consultation with locals surrounding the whole process. They spoke of “farmers who are going to have their fields cut in two, so they won’t be able to get cattle from one side to the other.” 

“A friend is going to have the greenway going through her already very small garden which she is very upset about. I also don’t understand all of the proposed route and why some of the route can’t be on some of the quieter roads, they said. 

Sign in resident’s garden opposing the greenway extension: Photo by Ethan McDonagh

However not all local reaction is negative, with one local shop owner Aaron Farnon saying: “As a local person who has been working in Carlingford for the last six years I believe that the greenway will greatly enhance the business opportunities and the footfall in Carlingford.” 

With a lot of Carlingford’s businesses being largely tourism- based and thus highly seasonal, Mr. Farnon believes that: ”The greenway gives people more of an initiative to go to Carlingford during the summer months and weekends and see the beauty that the village holds as well as giving local businesses and small shop owners the opportunity to showcase their offerings and bring people in to support them in these hard times.” 

Optimism and support are a commonly shared sentiment among business owners in the region with David Hanlon, owner of a Carlingford bike hire company, stating: “The new proposed Dundalk to Carlingford Greenway will be the greatest infrastructure investment in Cooley in decades. It will create a safe passage for our kids and families to cycle and walk safely off the busy, truck laden, roads of the Peninsula.  

“It will have massive health benefits for the people of the peninsula as it will encourage a lot more people to get out for walks and cycles, reducing obesity and mental health problems by building lifelong healthy habits. Finally, the Greenway will create hundreds of ancillary jobs through tourism to the area, just look at places like Waterford and Mayo. Louth County Council needs to work with landowners to find a pragmatic approach to getting a route agreed with minimum impact.” 

Conversely, what is outlined on the government website for the proposal is that “The R173 Regional Road connecting Dundalk with Carlingford, along with other regional and local roads in the study area have no provision for pedestrians and cyclists.” 

One of the stated goals of the greenway extension would be to change this with a key goal of the NDP being to “recognise the importance of active travel not only in reducing carbon emissions, but also in achieving other national strategic outcomes such as compact urban growth and balanced regional development.” 

The website also states that the proposed greenway meets the seven appraisal headings identified in the Department of Transport’s “Transport Appraisal Framework” from June 2023; transport user benefits and other economic impacts, accessibility impacts, social impacts, land use impacts, safety impacts, climate change impacts and local environmental impacts.