
Work on improvements to Sligo Way trail get underway
Works include upgrade of the trail between Union Wood and Slishwood, 2.8km in total length. Repair of a 500-metre section will also take place. The route will be upgraded consisting of a trail width 1.8/2 metre wide with stone initially and a dust finish will follow. €200,000 was obtained for this work via the Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure Fund.
'I want to thank Sligo County Council engineering staff, in particular Ray O'Grady, Nicolas Harkin and Coillte General Manager, Brian Mc Garry.
Cllr Walsh said: 'We haven't invested in the Sligo Way like we should have over years and I am delighted to see this progress. I will continue to work for more linkages to the trail and improved access and signage from its villages such as Collooney, Ballisodare, Ballygawley and Ballintogher.
'I look forward to seeing continued progress including the design of a new viewing area overlooking Lough Lumann which will hopefully go to planning stage in the coming months.
The Sligo Way is an 80km national trail route that traverses the County of Sligo in the from Lough Talt to Dromahair in County Leitrim. Attractions along the Sligo Way include a crannog or early lake dwelling on Lough Talt, megalithic tombs, and WB Yeats's Lake Isle of Innisfree on Lough Gill, Easky Lough, Ballygawley Woods, Lough Lumman, Lough Gill and Slish Wood. Lough Lumann is a mountain lake adjacent to Sliabh Deane and can be found between Union Wood and Slish Wood along the trail.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
Work on improvements to Sligo Way trail get underway
Sligo Drumcliffe Councillor Thomas Walsh has been calling for improvements to be made to the Sligo Way over the last number of says the trail is one of Sligo's hidden gems and that he was delighted that improvement works had started. Works include upgrade of the trail between Union Wood and Slishwood, 2.8km in total length. Repair of a 500-metre section will also take place. The route will be upgraded consisting of a trail width 1.8/2 metre wide with stone initially and a dust finish will follow. €200,000 was obtained for this work via the Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure Fund. 'I want to thank Sligo County Council engineering staff, in particular Ray O'Grady, Nicolas Harkin and Coillte General Manager, Brian Mc Garry. Cllr Walsh said: 'We haven't invested in the Sligo Way like we should have over years and I am delighted to see this progress. I will continue to work for more linkages to the trail and improved access and signage from its villages such as Collooney, Ballisodare, Ballygawley and Ballintogher. 'I look forward to seeing continued progress including the design of a new viewing area overlooking Lough Lumann which will hopefully go to planning stage in the coming months. The Sligo Way is an 80km national trail route that traverses the County of Sligo in the from Lough Talt to Dromahair in County Leitrim. Attractions along the Sligo Way include a crannog or early lake dwelling on Lough Talt, megalithic tombs, and WB Yeats's Lake Isle of Innisfree on Lough Gill, Easky Lough, Ballygawley Woods, Lough Lumman, Lough Gill and Slish Wood. Lough Lumann is a mountain lake adjacent to Sliabh Deane and can be found between Union Wood and Slish Wood along the trail.


Irish Independent
21-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Sligo's bid for UNESCO World Heritage underway with first formal nomination meeting
Chaired by Martin Lydon, Chief Executive of Sligo County Council, the Nomination Team convened to progress Ireland's bid to inscribe 'The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo' on the World Heritage List. Following a site visit to Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, the first official Nomination Team meeting was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Rosses Point, Sligo. The meeting brought together a cross-sectoral team of national and local stakeholders, including representation from the National Monuments Service, the Office of Public Works, Sligo County Council, Coillte, NPWS, Sligo Leader, Fáilte Ireland, Sligo Neolithic Landscapes group and the Farming Pillar. The Nomination Team will guide the preparation of a Nomination dossier and management plan for 'The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo'. The bid aims to achieve global recognition for one of Europe's most significant prehistoric landscapes. The World Heritage bid is led by Sligo County Council in partnership with the National Monuments Service (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) and the Office of Public Works, and a Memorandum of Understanding to progress the World Heritage bid has been signed by the parties. Sligo County Council will act as Lead Proponent for the World Heritage bid. In November 2024, Sligo County Council appointed Robert Hensey to the role of Project Coordinator for The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo World Heritage Tentative List Site. The World Heritage Site Nomination process, which will continue until 2030, will be guided by the recently appointed Dr. Carol Westrik, an experienced World Heritage expert from the Netherlands. The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo was officially placed on Ireland's World Heritage Tentative List in July 2022, an essential first step towards World Heritage inscription. From this point, work begins to secure local stakeholder engagement and support for the bid as well as preparing a preliminary assessment request, Nomination dossier and management plan for the site. Dating back over 5,000 years, the Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo includes renowned sites such as Carrowmore, Carrowkeel, and Knocknarea. It is a landscape of extraordinary international importance, and the Nomination process offers an opportunity not just to secure UNESCO status, but to deepen our understanding and protection of these unique prehistoric sites, in partnership with local communities. The bid is an opportunity to ensure the protection of Sligo's remarkable and unique passage tomb landscape for future generations, with the support of landowners, the local community and the wider public. It is also about new opportunities, and heritage-led economic and social regeneration. UNESCO places great importance on the voice and support of landowners and local communities in shaping the Nomination bid. It is, at heart, a community-led, process. Public engagement will be a cornerstone of the Nomination bid, ensuring that key stakeholders and the community are actively involved throughout the Nomination journey. Over the next five years, Sligo County Council will engage with the whole community to see how together we can best protect, manage and celebrate this extraordinary Neolithic inheritance. If successful, the Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo would join Ireland's existing World Heritage Sites – Brú na Bóinne and Sceilg Mhichíl – further highlighting Ireland's exceptional archaeological and cultural legacy on the world stage. For more information please contact: Robert Hensey, Sligo County Council. Project Coordinator for The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo World Heritage Tentative List Site. rhensey@


Irish Independent
19-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Sustainable development plan for Mayo's Pontoon with ‘massive tourism potential'
Located between Lough Conn and Lough Cullin in North East Mayo, Pontoon used to be a busy spot. The area had two popular hotels, Healy's and Pontoon Bridge. Healy's Hotel suffered a fire and the building went derelict. In 2019 planning permission was granted to develop the building into a hotel, restaurant and bar, since the Covid pandemic work hasn't resumed on the site. Pontoon Bridge Hotel was built in the 1940s and extended in 2006. It was sold in 2017 and didn't reopen. Foxford-based councillor Neil Cruise, raised a motion at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council and laid out his plan for the Pontoon area to bring it back to life. The area includes Drummin Woods, Lough Conn and Lough Cullin. Cllr Cruise told the meeting there is a distinct opportunity at the minute and referred to the Pontoon area as a 'sleeping giant' that has 'massive tourism potential'. Cllr Cruise described a 'new beginning' with forest company Coillte. The semi-state company is responsible for 44,000 hectares of forest lands around Ireland. Cllr Cruise said they are 'very interested in working with us'. He called for interest groups to come together to help: 'I feel it is time that we can all come together, Coillte, Parks and Wildlife, local development groups, farming and fishing interests, walking groups and local tourism promoters. 'We have the development of the Foxford to Pontoon greenway, the Knockmore to Pontoon trail, and Pontoon to Castlebar greenway as far as Healy's Hotel. We have the refurbishment of the six-arch bridge in Cuing Mór, we have the development of forest walks, the beaches and shores of Lough Cullin, of Pontoon Bay, Schoolhouse Bay, Healy's Bay, and Pontoon Bridge lake access'. Development groups in the area were said to be 'itching to go' but need help to pull everything together. Cllr Cruise is proposing that the council develop a LIFE project for the Pontoon lakes, similar to the Lough Carra LIFE project in Castlebar. Cllr Alma Gallagher seconded the motion, describing Pontoon's unused natural resources as a 'missed opportunity'. Cllr Gallagher raised the issue of a 'county imbalance' saying resources are being invested in the same areas, mainly Westport, Ballina and Castlebar. The Ballyhaunis-based councillor pointed out that the majority of Mayo's population live outside of those towns and said there needs to be substantial policy change because 'East Mayo is being left behind'. The motion was also supported by a further eight councillors including Cllr Al McDonnell. He congratulated Cllr Cruise on his motion and offered a helping hand. 'There is a threat to water quality in every fresh water course in Ireland. We got together some years ago in an effort to save Lough Carra. An application was made to the LIFE project in Europe, after tremendous negotiation and lobbying to Europe we succeeded in getting a grant for €5 million over five years. 'If you want any assistance with that, or if your group wants to meet us, I can put you on the mailing list and you're very welcome to come to one of our meetings and we'll introduce you to some of the people who were successful in relation to our application.' This article was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme