Cloonfad Scenic Walks Launch

Eamon O’Cuiv - THE MINISTER for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will officially launch Cloonfad’s Scenic Walks Resource Centre at Derrylahan at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 18th.

These walking routes have been set up by Cloonfad Development Association, supported by the Irish Sports Council. Seven circular walking routes plus two "Slí Slainte" Walks now traverse the countryside across the eastern section of Slieve Dart from Cloonfad on the Dunmore Road to Clogher and Cortoon off the Kiltevna Road.

Sean Corcoran is the Co-ordinator.
A twinning project has now been initiated with Busot, Alicante on the East coast of Spain, based on similar walking and recreational amenities.

Members of Cloonfad Development Association will visit Busot in early Summer to arrange twinning and a delegation from Busot will visit Cloonfad later in the year to finalise plans.

An application for funding had been forwarded to the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism to finance the building of a new resource and information centre.

“Walking is the major tourist attraction in the West of Ireland and Cloonfad is ideally placed to attract visitors since it is only 12 miles from Knock Airport.

Hundreds of hours of voluntary work have been carried out on a traditional farmhouse cottage to renovate it as a resource and information centre but a new building will have greater flexibility and will more readily accommodate people with special needs. Likewise days upon days have been spent upgrading walking routes to the stringent specifications laid down by the Irish Sports Council,” Mr Corcoran noted.

As ninety per cent of the Cloonfad scenic walks are off the main road network safety and tranquillity are assured. Our committee extends a warm welcome to everybody for the official opening on March 18th,” the Walks Project Co-ordinator concluded

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