Beara walking trail moves up a gear

BY HELEN RIDDELL

FÁILTE Ireland has announced it has adopted the trail plan for the Beara Breifne Way, Ireland’s longest walking trail which covers 700km from Dursey island on the Beara peninsula to Blacklion in Co Cavan.

In February 2019, Fáilte Ireland commissioned a tourism masterplan, as a means to further enhance the visitor experience of the route. Fáilte Ireland says the primary aim of the Beara Breifne Way is to encourage visitors to go ‘off the beaten track’, which in turn creates significant economic and social benefits to the rural communities, towns and villages along the route which will also allow visitors to explore nature and enjoy cultural experiences.

The route is based on the historic march of Donal Cam O’Sullivan Beare, the last great chieftain of West Cork.

Following a series of battles and the loss of his stronghold at Dunboy, O’Sullivan Beare and 1,000 men, women and children set off on December 31st 1602 from Beara to march to Leitrim hoping to seek help from his ally, O’Rourke of Breifne. Of the 1,000 who left Beara, only 35 reached Leitrim Castle, two weeks later.

The Way crosses through the counties of Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Offaly, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim and Cavan and encompasses coastal and upland areas, including islands.

The trail is made up of 12 existing national waymarked trails, and it traverses the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East destination brands. The Beara Breifne Way Cycle Trail is currently in development and uses minor roads close to the walking trail, while some sections of it are on the Beara Breifne Way walking route.

The primary objective of the study was to audit the existing trail and identify any works required to ensure it realises its potential.