Minister Humphreys visits and opens projects worth over €1 million in North Cork supported under Our Rural Future

All of the projects opened, as part of the Minister’s visit, received investment under the government’s ambitious rural development policy, Our Rural Future.

The Minister’s visit began with the official opening of the redevelopment of Island Wood Trail which received funding under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

Next stop was in Kanturk for the opening of Kanturk Town Park Playground and the turning of the sod on the Kanturk Urban Walkway.

The Minister then went on to Lombardstown where she officially opened the new Tennis club and the Gortroe to Lombardstown Walkway.

The new facilities will be used to engage young people locally and also allow people with disabilities to play wheelchair tennis.

The Lombardstown Walkway aims to link the villages of Gortroe and Lombardstown The route has become extremely popular in the last few years, especially during the pandemic.

Speaking at the site of the Lombardstown walkway, Minister Humphreys said: “A big part of our policy is supporting outdoor projects – projects that will bring families, friends and communities together like this walkway. This is exactly the kind of locally led-project that I want to see replicated right across rural Ireland. It will not only enhance the social capital of a community but also improve the quality of life of the people of all ages.”

Later in the afternoon were openings at Dromahane Community Park, and Lover’s Leap and Mallow Castle Walkway Bridge.

Then there was a ‘turning-of-the-sod’ for upgrade works at Barnane Walking Trail in Fermoy and the launch of the Ballindangan Broadband Connection Point.

Speaking in Ballindangan the Minister said: “Today, Ballindangan joins a national network of Broadband Connection Points that will grow this year to 300 sites. That’s 300 community spaces that will make on-site high-speed broadband services available for local people and visitors alike. When the project is completed, Cork will have 25 live BCPs - the highest amount of any county in the Connected Communities Initiative. This shows the desire within Cork to take full advantage of the benefits that connectivity brings to its citizens.”

The final stop was a visit to Mitchelstown to see the site of a new Enterprise Hub which was recently awarded €500,000 under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.