Progress reported on Athlone to Clonmacnoise Pilgrim Greenway project

The bid to create a Pilgrim Greenway route between Athlone and the world-renowned monastic heritage site at Clonmacnoise looks set to progress, with planning under way as part of a joint venture between Offaly and Westmeath County Councils.

The May meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District this week heard that consultants appointed by Offaly County Council had been carrying out works on the proposed route in conjunction with the transportation department of the Westmeath local authority with a view to progressing the works as part of the NTA Cycle Connects scheme.

The information was given to the meeting in response to a request for an update on the project from Fine Gael councillor John Dolan.

A local voluntary group 'Athlone Clonmacnoise Shannonbridge Pilgrim Route Greenway' has been seeking to advance the creation of a pilgrim route along the banks of the river Shannon for a number of years.

The group has said that the proposed stretch of greenway would provide pilgrims and tourists with a safe alternative route to Clonmacnoise that would avoid the main N62 road towards Ballinahown, which is not suitable for pedestrians and cyclists.