Photos

All photos courtesy David Malee.

There have been numerous reports after reports on the closed railway from Collooney in Co Sligo to Athenry in County Galway. They all say the same thing, the closed railway is not viable for passengers or freight. Taoiseach after Taoiseach have said it is not viable. Transport Minister after Transport Minister have said the same. Below are various radio and tv reports from down through the years.

Audio

Email to The Tommy Marren Show 31st January 2024

by The Tommy Marren Show

Email read out on The Tommy Marren Show after the previous interview with Bernice Brennan. Including what Irish Rail & the Dept of Transport said in their submissions to the Mayo County Development plan 2022-2028. 

Gerry Murry Quizzed on The Tommy Marren Show 30th January 2024

by The Tommy Marren Show

Gerry Murry rang into The Tommy Marren Show who were interviewing Bernice Brennan, East Mayo Greenway campaign. Tommy quizzed Gerry where he stated he has “no issue with a Greenway alonside the rail corridor”.

Bernice Brennan on The Tommy Marren Show 30th January 2024

by Bernice Brennan

Bernice Brennan East Mayo Greenway Campaign tells Tommy about the campaign delegation that gave evidence to the Oireachtas Committee on Thursday 25th January 2024.

Shaun Cunniffe on Galway Bay FM 29th January 2024

by Shaun Cunniffe

Former Galway Cllr Shaun Cunniffe interviewed on the Keith Finnigen show on Galway Bay FM. Shaun spoke about the delegation from Galway, Mayo & Sligo greenway campaigns that attended the Oireachtas Committee on 25th January 2024.

Ocean FM News, 27th April 2021. David Malee, Chairman East Mayo Greenway Campaign, welcomes the news of the tender for the Sligo-Enniskillen Greenway.

Transport Minister proposes new Enniskillen to Bellaghy to extend as far as Claremorris.

An extension of the greenway connecting Enniskillen and Bellaghy (just outside of Charlestown) has been raised and supported by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan. The minister met with members of Sligo County Council and Council representatives on Friday 5th of May 2023.

There, he proposed to extend the route as far as Claremorris. This would not only bring the route into County Mayo, but would also provide 132km of track which is more similar to some of the successful greenway routes across the country.

Cllr Marie Casserly on Midwest Radio News

Cllr Marie Casserly from Sligo Co Co speaking on Midwest Radio news about the latest round of funding of €400K for the Sligo Greenway from Collooney to Bellaghy in Charlestown. Marie tells Midwest about the consultants appointed to the project and all about the benefits the Greenway will bring to all the communities along the route.

Ocean FM News 8th March 2022

John Mulligan, from Western Rail Trail, has been telling Ocean FM News what his message to the Oireachtas Transport Committee meeting, on the All Island Strategic Rail Review will be this morning. The Oireachtas Transport Committee will be told this morning that it would ‘be foolish’ not to take available money for the development of a greenway that will link the west to the north through Sligo, especially as it seems the reinstatement of a train track on the route seems to be a long time away.

Dáil Éireann Questions 3rd March 2022. Ciaran Cannon TD asks Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan for a definitive answer for the western rail corridor, either a train with a greenway alongside, or a greenway on the route. He says the ALL reviews to date have stated that there is no viable economic case for a rail line being needed.

Ocean FM News, 27th April 2021. David Malee, Chairman East Mayo Greenway Campaign, welcomes the news of the tender for the Sligo-Enniskillen Greenway.

Midwest News At 1, 9th April 2021. East Mayo Greenway spokesman Michael Maye, speaking on the Midwest news at 1 about the unprecedented number of Greenway submissions sent in to the Mayo county development plan 2021-2027.

Midwest Radio 5th March 2021. East Mayo Greenway Group Chairman David speaks to Midwest Radio News about the Greenway submissions campaign on the Draft Mayo County Development Plan 2021-2027.
Midwest Radio 5th January 2021. John Mulligan Western Rail Trail spokesman interviewed on Midwest radio. Transport Minister Eamon Ryan publish’s reports commissioned in 2016 from EY Consulting & Jaspers, the European Investment Bank. Both reports confirm that the WRC, the closed railway, from Athenry to Claremorris is not viable for passengers or freight.
Midwest Radio 7th August 2016. John Mulligan Western Rail Trail spokesman talking to Gerry Glennon on Midwest radio.
Ocean FM 1st March 2016. Brendan Quinn Western Rail Trail speaking on Ocean FM.
Ocean FM 19th February 2016. Brendan Quinn, Western Rail Trail spokesperson, interviewed on Ocean FM.
Ocean FM November 2015. John Mulligan, Michael O’Hara and Pat Mc Carrick from Sligo Greenway campaign interviewed on Ocean FM in November 2015.

Video

Oireachtas Committee 25th January 2024

A delegation from the Sligo, Mayo and Galway Greenway campaigns gave evidence athe the Oireachtas Committee in Leinster House on Thursday 25th January 2024. Watch the full proceedings along with Q&A’s.

Dáil Eireann Questions 3rd March 2022

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, replying to Dáil questions from Ciaran Cannon TD on Thursday last, 3rd March, reiterated that north of Claremorris is not viable for rail and should be used as a Greenway. However, in his view, its Mayo County Council which is holding the Greenway up.

The Swinford Chats Podcast with T&C – Episode Fourteen. East Mayo Greenway PRO Michael Maye & Chairman David Mallee join us to discuss why they feel Swinford should have a Greenway.
Dara Callery Gets Clarification on Irish Rail Greenway License Policy 17th Feb 2021. Well done to both Dara Callery and Allan Dillon on seeking clarity on Irish Rails position on granting usage licenses for Greenway on the closed railway between Sligo and Galway. Mr Meade was asked to explain the Irish Rail policy on using closed railways as greenways by Mayo TD Dara Calleary.In response Mr Meade said that they have always supported greenways and that greenways are a ‘win-win’ situation.“It keeps the asset in state ownership,” he said, “it keeps the asset utilized, and then if there is a decision at some time in the future that it has to go back into public transport mode, the licensing arrangement is such that it can do so.”
MWR 1 O’Clock News 7th August 2020. Brendan Quinn, Western Rail Trail campaigner speaking on Midwest Radio 1 o’clock news 7th August 2020. Brendan explains the progress with Sligo’s Greenway from Collooney to Charlestown going to planning. He questions why are Mayo Co Co not applying for Greenway funding on the route. He also ask’s why is the EY & Jaspers report still sitting on Transport minister Eamon Ryan’s desk.
North/South Ministerial Conference Dublin Castle 31th July 2020. The Taoiseach Micheal Martin & Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster have said the first meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in three-and-a-half years has been a very positive and open one. They spoke of working together to fund the Sligo to Enniskillen Greenway.
On September 23rd 2018 In Tuam Galway Ireland 3000 ordinary citizens marched to ask Galway county council to support the demand for a feasibility study for a greenway along the route of a local closed railway. People demanding local politicians to do as they ask, Serious stuff. This is the report on national Television on the Irish Language station TG4.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny talking on Mid West Radio on December 22nd 2014 was questioned about the Western Rail Corridor – listen to Enda Kenny say these words “This is not going to happen” when asked if the Western Rail corridor will be extended further
Minister Leo Varadkar telling it like it is on RTE ‘Prime Time’ programme, February 27th 2014. In this interview the Minister made it clear that the first section of the so-called ‘western rail corridor’ was a mistake, and an ill-advised political decision. It is clear that the government has no intention of repeating this madness anywhere else, so why are politicians promising a railway in the north west? Are they just lying, by any chance?