Eight projects enhancing outdoor recreational amenities around Galway County have been awarded over €130,000 in funding.
The Department of Rural and Community Heritage has committed €3.5 million in funding to enhance outdoor amenities such as mountain trails, forest walks, beaches, lakes, rivers, blueways and greenways.
This funding is part of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), which supports natural attractions and enhancing the tourism attraction of rural Ireland.
In Galway the largest single award was €20,000 for Annaghdown Pier, where the money will be used for maintenance of the swimming area, pier structure, and bank wall, as well providing lifebuoys.
Other projects which received funding include €19,800 each to enhance The Wheels of Athenry cycle trail, adding signposts and repair stations, and adding more toilet and shower facilities for Cill Mhuirbhigh Blue Flag beach on Inis Mór.
A further €19,637.64 2 will go towards improvement to the Lúibín Gharumna Trail in Leitir Mór, and Binn Shléibhe walking trail in Clonbur will receive €17,955 for upgrades.
The closed Sandybanks Lane Walkway in Gortnamona will be repaired, enhanced, and reopened with the help of €17,910.
In Letterfrack, the Inis Lee Loop walking trail has been allocated €17,774 for drainage and repair works to the old stone pathway.
An lastly there has been €17,000 set aside for upgrade works on 15km of the Connemara Greenway which have been completed.
Minister Heather Humphreys said that this funding will “further develop and improve” outdoor infrastructure in rural communities nationwide.
“COVID-19 has given us a newfound appreciation for our great outdoors. That’s why I’m delighted that we can support so many fantastic projects under this funding.”
“By drawing more visitors to experience the beauty of our rural towns and villages, we will help further support our rural economy to rebuild post Covid-19.”
There are 189 projects around Ireland which were allocated funding under Measure 1 of ORIS this year, with grants of up to €20,000.
Funding under Measures 2 & 3 of the scheme, medium and large scale projects, will be announced before the end of the year.
