Sir, – I wish to commend Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar for his great vision to develop a cycle and walking route from Dublin to Galway.
As I understand it, the planning is at a very early stage and there may be room for suggestions for a suitable course of this cycleway.
There is a route already in existence which was described by the late Hermann Geissel in his book A Road on the Long Ridge, published following his research for the TV-Series An tSlí Mhór screened on TG4. This route follows the early Christian pilgrims’ road from Dublin to Clarinbridge just south of Galway from where it extends across Galway Bay to the Aran Islands. Starting on Ushers Quay in Dublin the Slí Mhór roughly follows the Esker Riada, the spectacular geological formation mainly to be found in the Midlands, that was used by pilgrims to cross Ireland when it was still mostly covered with bogland, ending in a small harbour in Kilcolgan only a few kilometres south of Galway. The route as described by Geissel features many fantastic historical places along its way, round towers and castles such as Carbury or Grange Castle in Co Kildare, Croghan Hill, Durrow with its famous high cross, Clara with the biggest intact bog in Ireland, also the monastic sites of Clonmacnoise in Co Offaly or Kilconnell Friary in Co Galway.
Long stretches of the way are quiet country roads with hardly any traffic and are ideal for cycling. Often the roads lead along the top of the eskers and give a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside. I was cycling and walking along many stretches of this route and I firmly believe that this has to be the most scenic and beautiful way to cross Ireland from east to west.
Some stretches of the way are already signposted as cycling routes, such as the so-called pilgrims’ road from Ballycumber to Clonmacnoise. Towns along the way such as Celbridge, Edenderry, Clara or Ballinasloe could greatly benefit from the additional tourism a cycling and walking route would generate.
The Slí Mhór exists in the consciousness of the Irish people for more than one thousand years – why not revive this great asset as a means to bring people to this country and show them the beauty of this land? – Yours, etc,