By Dan Walsh at the Riverside Trail
The official launch of the new extension – the Urrin Loop – on the Riverside Trail, described by Claire Lawless, Enniscorthy District Manager as “the most popular trail in County Wexford” took place this morning with Cllr Aidan Browne, Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District doing the honours.
Cllr Browne said he was delighted to be beside the River Slaney on the Riverside Trail, also known as ‘the Prom Walk’ which he said is “extremely popular with locals and visitors and is recognised for its beautiful scenery.”
He pointed out that that resurfacing has taken place from the Riverside bridge towards Edermine and a new loop has been added from the old Davis Flour Mills site beside the River Urrin tributary back down to the trail. He also mentioned developments north of the town at Ned Kavanagh’s known locally as ‘the Banks’.
Cllr Browne promised that he would seek further funding to extend the trail to the Ringwood and Borodale.
He thanked Rory O’Mahony from Wexford County Council for their work in completing the project and thanked Wexford Walking Trails for developing and promoting Enniscorthy Riverside Trail in its brochures.
The attendance included Minister James Browne, who delivered a short address embracing the local scenery, the value of the outdoor amenities to the town and thanked retiring Minister Heather Humphreys for her co-operation and generosity in providing much appreciated community funding, Also Cllrs John O’Rourke, Jackser Owens, Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathal Byrne and Pat Kehoe, County Chairman of Wexford Walking Trails Peter O’Connor, Dervla Tierney and Alan Quirke from Enniscorthy Town Team Community Group.
There were words of appreciation for David Byrne and David Cheevers from Irish Rail, the landowners Kevin Cooney and John Molloy and the contractor Mick Hughes of H&H Civil Engineering.
First opened as The Country Walk in 2011 and leading from the Riverside Park Hotel along the Promenade and over the River Urrin, the Enniscorthy Riverside Trail is six kilometres long, open to the public, takes about 75 minutes to complete and is described as “easy.
A new entrance has been created at the old Davis Mills entrance, an underpass takes it past the railway bridge so there is no need to use the footbridge, if that is a walker’s desire. The walk along the riverbank is admired for its flora and fauna and historic views of the old St. Senan’s Hospital building and Brownswood House, the former home of renowned furniture designer Eileen Gray.
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