Tourist trail needed in east and north Westmeath - Leonard
Rural Ireland needs more tourist and visitor trails as well as accessible local accommodation to allow visitors (and local people) to experience its beauty and heritage.
East Westmeath and north Westmeath are no different, and if anything have more natural amenity and heritage sites than what is available in Mullingar and Athlone (which are promoted far more by Failte Ireland). That is why I recently brought a motion to the council to seek support from Fáilte Ireland in accessing Hidden Heartland and Just Transition Tourism funding and supports to have a tourist trail with local and integrated promotional signage in Rochfortbridge through Miltownpass, Kinnegad, Killucan/Raharney, Delvin, and Castlepollard linking in with Fore and Multyfarnham and surrounding regions for an east and north Westmeath integrated tourist rail promoting the historical, cultural, literary, and natural environment gems that exist throughout the rural parts of our district. From the bog walks in Rochfortbridge , the Woodland Trail of Miltownpass, the ecclesiastical and transport history of Kinnegad, the Royal canal, Killucan station, Mt Hevey Bog, the literary history of Delvin, on to Tullynalley Castle in Castlepollard, and up to the Wonders of Fore just to give an example from each community.
I was informed that €68 million has been awarded to Fáilte Ireland to deliver a Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme. Through this scheme, Fáilte Ireland will invest in the sustainable development of tourism in the midlands with the aim of diversifying the regional economy by creating jobs, supporting habitats, biodiversity and sustaining communities. WCC Tourism Activator, Amy O’Connor’s role is to provide assistance for local community groups and to assist those in seeking funding for proposed projects under this fund. I will be meeting her in the coming weeks to work on making this plan a reality. We have a new tourist board going up in Kinnegad this month with more to follow, but we need them in every rural village with signage linking one on to the next Westmeath town and village on the trail.