Heritage Trail ready to provide tourism boost

A NEW Heritage Trail created by the Ballineen and Enniskeane Tidy Towns Association has been praised by outgoing county mayor Cllr Mary Linehan Foley who visited the twin villages to launch the initiative.

The much lauded Heritage Trail – which includes an information board, plaques and a map – located in the Courthouse Plaza gives information on several sites including the much admired Biodiversity and Sensory Riverside Garden as well as the famine graveyard in nearby Ballymoney among others.

Cllr Mary Linehan Foley praised the work, commitment and dedication of the Ballineen and Enniskeane Tidy Towns Associations volunteers.

‘The pride that the people of Ballineen and Enniskeane take in their community is evident on Courthouse Plaza, along the Heritage Trail and in the beautiful Riverside Garden. Giving generously of their time and energy, Tidy Town volunteers take action each day, great and small, to improve their local environment and it shows,’ said Cllr Linehan Foley.

‘We as Cork County Council are delighted to support this initiative, which will have both a positive impact on quality of life here and on the local economy as our businesses strive to bounce back.’

Chairperson of Ballineen and Enniskeane Tidy Towns Association Margaret O’Donovan said that they envisage the creation and positioning of the Heritage Trail and Walking Trail Boards throughout the villages will serve to encourage local and wider scale tourism and assist in the economic sustainability of local small businesses.

‘This is particularly pertinent as we navigate the exigencies of the “new needs” of the “new normal” as part of our “Survive and Thrive” proposal for the current and post-pandemic social, economic and cultural landscapes. In line with our vision for the regeneration and enhancement of the villages, we sought to erect wall plaques, information boards and finger-post signs to document this historical tapestry,’ said Margaret.

‘This vision could not become a reality, however, without the support of Cork County Council, who came on board to finance all aspects of the project, thereby enabling our ideas to come to fruition.’