Farming right beside the new Suir Blueway Tipperary, John O’Donnell, who also sells farm machinery through his company, Anner Agri, is “very positive” about the €5.6 million development launched by John Treacy, chief executive of Sport Ireland, at Hotel Minella, Clonmel, last week.

A Blueway is a network of approved and branded multi-activity recreational trails and sites based on and closely linked with the water, together with providers facilitating access to activities and experiences.

They offer a range of activities both on the water such as kayaking, stand-up paddling and snorkelling and alongside the water like walking, cycling and heritage visits. They have a range of user services and facilities to create safe, accessible experiences.

Farming on the banks of the River Suir, growing barley, wheat, maize and oilseed rape, John O’Donnell told AgriLand that the new Suir Blueway Tipperary is proving to be a huge attraction for locals and visitors alike that is good for tourism and the area.

“Lots of people walk the path on a daily basis,” he said.

There were a number of concerns initially in relation to the impact of the walkway on farming activities, namely: livestock worrying; damage to crops; trespass; effect on land value; and insurance.

“Thankfully most of these concerns have been dealt with but I would advise anyone faced with a similar development to go and see other projects and get professional advice.”

Running from Cahir to Clonmel and on to Carrick-on-Suir, Suir Blueway Tipperary has 53km of walking, cycling and watersport trails through unspoilt landscapes and heritage towns at the heart of medieval Ireland. Highlights include the Butler trail and the new whitewater canoe slalom course in Clonmel.

On display at the launch was an O’Donnell family 18ft map from 1821 of the Suir.

“The original towpath was used by the Suir navigation company to tow barges by horses from Carrick-on-Suir to Clonmel, a distance of 21km. This business ceased trading in the early 1920s,” John said.

Public path

“As far back as the late 1960s, the idea of a public path along the river Suir towpath had been suggested but it was not until 2014/2015 before the final route was acquired and work could commence,” he said.

“The tourism potential around Clonmel remains largely under-utilised with the Comeragh, Galtee and Sliabh na mBan mountains, the Mitchelstown caves, Cahir castle, the Rock of Cashel, as well as fishing and of course the Blueway now.

“There are also plans to develop a new tourist attraction, an interpretative centre in Dowd’s Lane, and the former Bulmers’ apple crushing plant,” said John.

The Blueway is expected to contribute to increased visitor numbers and spend in the area. According to Waterways Ireland, almost one in five waterways’ users are overseas visitors, half (49%) are domestic and one in three (34%) are locals.

John Treacy said the new natural amenity will provide an excellent base for outdoor activity and recreation for both the local community in Tipperary as well as visitors from all over the country and overseas.

“Sport Ireland places a particular emphasis on supporting activity programmes such as the Suir Blueway Tipperary, that will continue to support active lifestyles among people of all backgrounds and circumstances,” he said.

He congratulated Tipperary County Council; Tipperary Sports Partnership; and Tipperary Tourism on the development and delivery of the collaborative project.

Visitors can experience guided tours of the world-renowned Cahir castle before strolling or paddling down to the Swiss Cottage. The Blueway continues through the picturesque towns of Ardfinnan and Newcastle, as the Suir meanders to the historic town of Clonmel.

Walkers; cyclists; canoeists; kayakers; and paddleboarders can enjoy serenity and scenery as they follow the river for 21km along the refurbished historic towpath from the monument car park in Clonmel to Sean Healy park in Carrick-on-Suir.

Accomplished paddlers can take on the challenge of the 300m canoe slalom course in Clonmel, which was constructed in 2016 as part of the investment in the project.

The longest slalom course in Ireland offers a unique sporting and leisure opportunity for both locals and visitors and is used by Canoeing Ireland as a training base for the Irish national squad.

Access points

Refurbished pathways and multiple new access points to make it easier to get on to the river have been created in several places along the 53km route.

These include: Inch field in Cahir; in Ardfinnan, Sandybanks at Marlfield; Suir Island in Clonmel; Denis Burke Park, Clonmel; Kilsheelan; and Sean Healy Park in Carrick-on-Suir.

New Blueway map boards and signage have been erected to guide and improve visitor experiences.

Tipperary County Council vice-chair councillor Michael Murphy said that Tipperary County Council and Tipperary Sports Partnership had been working on the project since 2012.

“We are very excited to see this now come to fruition and to see our investment in our latest tourism offering come to life.

“Tourism is a substantial growth area for Co. Tipperary. We have so much to offer in terms of beautiful landscapes, fascinating cultural and historical sites and stories, and some of the best food produce in Ireland,” he said.

“Suir Blueway Tipperary has high potential to increase the numbers of visitors and economic opportunities along the entire route from Cahir to Clonmel to Carrick-on-Suir, as well as in other local communities.

“Already, one new business has opened as a result of the new Blueway and the council looks forward to welcoming and supporting more new businesses in the coming months and years,” Cllr. Murphy said.

Chief executive of Tipperary County Council, Joe MacGrath, said that funding for the project came from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Tipperary County Council; Sport Ireland; Interreg; and the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Continuing to invest

“We will be continuing to invest and improve the facilities along the river and look forward to welcoming more overseas and domestic visitors to this wonderful experience as a new product in Tipperary, Munster Vales and Ireland’s Ancient East.”

To date, a number of activities have taken place on the new Blueway route, including the national canoe slalom events and national club canoeing championships; the PaddleUp Programme; the Suir Descent; kayaking camps; canoeing training and education courses; 10km walks; heritage walks; cycling tours from castle to castle; and triathlons.

More information is available on: www.tipperary.com.