Leisure Amenities

The Association is aware of the many rivers and lakes in the area, including Derryhick Lake and the Clydagh river, one of the few rivers in Mayo designated ‘pristine’ in the recent audit of Irish waterways.

We recognize the value of Cunnagher Mor Bog, which holds a National Heritage Area designation, and other amenities including Loughs Conn and Cullinwith their Special Protected Area status, derived from the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

In preparation to laying out any plan for developing amenities, the Association will ask a local ecologist to develop a biodiversity action plan.  This will focus on actions that can be take by people and children locally but that it will help inform any future plans that may be proposed for amenity development.

Other funding mechanisms, such as via the National Biodiversity Action Plan, could be approached to facilitate environmentally friendly amenity development in the area.

The Association has been active in seeking to develop walking and cycling loop trails that meet Irish national standards and approached the Trails Development Officer attached to Southwest Mayo Development Company.  Progress has been slow, due in part to delays incurred during the Covid lockdowns, but we have outline routes for several potential trails, of approximately two, three, five and ten kilometres –suitable for everyone from beginners to hill walkers – that meet Sport Ireland Outdoors

We are exploring the potential for developing a blue way(kayaking route) to compliment the trails and monitoring the planned connection of the Greenway from the National Museum of Country Life  in Turlough to the Davitt Museum in Straide and onto the Foxford Way, as identified in the current Mayo County Development Plan 2021-2027

Ideally, our trails would start and finish on the ‘new’ Greenway and have both parking and toilets available nearby to facilitate their use.  The intention is that these trails will meet the standards required to be listed on the National Trails Register.