'We have got to tie Lough Rynn and Mohill in as one entity'

Leitrim beauty spot Lough Rynn needs to be joined to Mohill in order to ensure that both areas enjoy as many visitors as possible and the enhancement works carried in the town and the development taking place at the lake are capitalised on as much as possible.

Cllr Sean McGowan had asked that the council sought funding to "fully complete" to link Mohill with the caravan park at Lough Rynn. 

He asked the senior engineer in the Roads Department what funding was available to fully complete the public lighting from "Mohill to link up with the new footpath and lighting that was developed recently and serves the extremely busy caravan park at Lough Rynn. A part of this road from Mohill currently has no public lighting and it is dangerous for the many pedestrians using the footpath at nighttime."

READ MORE: ‘We felt we had a home to give a child’: Leitrim couple share their fostering journey

He stated: "Lough Rynn is very popular and so is the caravan park and people want to walk into the town while parked there and they go 500 metres and are into darkness so I'd ask that funding be sought and follow on from the improvement works that are to be carried out this year."

The official response stated that "there is currently no funding available to install these lights" but the response concluded the council will endeavour to source a suitable funding stream for this scheme.

READ MORE: 'Leitrim was a real hotbed for trouble': locals gear up for revival of once-banned Leitrim celebration

Cllr Paddy Farrell supported the motion as did Cllr Enda Stenson stating that, "we have done a lot of excellent work in Mohill over the last couple of years and now there is huge development starting at Lough Rynn and we have got to tie Lough Rynn and Mohill in as one entity. There should be a cycle lane as well as a towpath out to Lough Rynn. As it is now, you have a half a mile on one side and then there is a gap in the middle and it's not good enough. We have got to get the funding even if we have to borrow it. We need to bring them together if we're serious about bringing life back into Mohill again and enhance the work already done."

READ MORE: ‘It's of no help to farmers in rural Ireland’ - Leitrim councillors slam minister's response

Cllr Cormac Flynn said that there had "to be a low cost solution that doesn't require massive funding - some kind of solar LED solution. They are easy to install and run with very low running costs."

Cllr Maeve Reynolds also concurred with the comments adding that there is a "world class rowing facility and the hotel is not connected to the town; we are missing out on a big opportunity here."

Emma Donohoe, district engineer said that the section of path that is without lighting 1.2km and that they will endeavour to source funding.