Mohill-Lough Rynn walkway must be prioritised, says Leitrim councillor

A fully lit walkway linking Lough Rynn and Mohill was strongly advocated for during a meeting of Carrick-on-Shannon municipal district.

Cllr Enda Stenson passionately emphasised the need for a pedestrian connection between the two locations, something he has repeatedly championed.

He stressed the urgency of making it happen, stating, “The link up between Lough Rynn and Mohill is absolutely essential and I don’t care if we have to borrow the money - I think that should be done.”

He further highlighted the importance for Mohill’s development, saying, “It is empirical that it is done for the enhancement and the good of Mohill. We have such a facility there and we have to link back to the town sooner rather than later.”

Cllr Stenson expressed his commitment to seeing the project through, stating he would prioritise it over other works in Leitrim to ensure it becomes a reality.

A reply from the Roads department stated, “The district engineers office will submit an application for climate action funding to repair the footpath in certain places where the footpath has settled. 

Multimillion euro investment announced for Leitrim roads

Leitrim has been allocated €14,476,650 million from a nationwide fund of €713 million for the maintenance and improvement of the county's regional and local roads.

“This funding will not cover public lighting or fence replacement for the length of the walkway. A specific improvement grant with associated Part Eight planning would be required for this type of scheme.”

District engineer Darragh O’Boyle acknowledged Cllr Stenson’s concerns but explained that the only funding avenue is through climate action grants, which would be limited to repairing collapsed sections of the footpath.

He said that a fully lit pedestrian walkway would be a major capital scheme, requiring at least €400,000 and a planning process.

Mr O’Boyle assured councillors he is actively seeking funding through climate action to address immediate repairs but emphasised that a fully developed walkway would need significantly more resources than currently available.

Cllr Stenson accepted the response but insisted that securing funding should be a top priority for the local authority.

“This isn’t aspirational it’s urgent,” commented Cllr Cormac Flynn.

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