Suck Valley Way

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Suck Valley Way
Suckvalleyway.jpg
Suck Valley Way Sign (with the symbol for the Beara-Breifne Way)
Length105 kilometres (65 miles) [1]
LocationCounties Roscommon & Galway, Ireland
DesignationNational Waymarked Trail [1]
Trailheads Castlerea
UseHiking
Elevation gain/loss580 m (1,903 ft) [1]
DifficultyModerate [1]
SeasonAny
Website https://www.discoversuckvalleyway.ie/

The Suck Valley Way is a long-distance trail in Ireland. It is a 105-kilometre (65-mile) long circular route that begins and ends in Castlerea, County Roscommon. It is typically completed in five days. [1] It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by Roscommon County Council, Roscommon Integrated Development Company and the Suck Valley Committee. [2]

Contents

The Way was devised by the River Suck Valley Development Cooperative, which was formed in 1991 to develop tourism in the region. [3] It took three years to develop, at a cost of IEP £80,000, £46,000 of which was grant-aided by Bord Fáilte. [4] It was officially opened in May 1997 by Enda Kenny, who was at that time Minister for Tourism and Trade. [3]

The trail circles the countryside around the valley of the River Suck south of Castlerea, which straddles the border between Counties Roscommon and Galway, taking in the "Nine Friendly Villages" of Ballintober, Dunamon, Castlecoote, Athleague, Mount Talbot, Ballygar, Creggs, Glinsk and Ballymoe. [1]

The section of the Suck Valley Way from Ballygar to Ballymoe forms part of the Beara-Breifne Way, a walking and cycling route under development, intended to run from the Beara Peninsula, County Cork to Breifne, County Leitrim, following the line of Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare's march in the aftermath of the Battle of Kinsale in 1603. [3]

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The Hymany Way is a long-distance trail in County Galway, Ireland. It is 50 kilometres long and begins in Portumna and ends in Aughrim. It is typically completed in two days. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by the Aughrim Development Company Limited. The trail was developed with funding assistance from the NTR Foundation, a philanthropic organisation of NTR plc. It was officially opened on 24 September 2010 by Councillor Jimmy McClearn, Mayor of County Galway. It is planned to extend the trail from Aughrim to Ballygar where it will join with the Suck Valley Way.

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The Lung Lough Gara Way is a long-distance trail in Ireland. It is a 57.2-kilometre (35.5-mile) hiking trail that begins in Castlerea, County Roscommon. It is typically completed in three days. It forms part of the Beara-Breifne Way and shares part of its route with the Suck Valley Way, and as such, follows quiet local roads, pasture and bog land to link in with the Miners Way. This trail forms part of the Beara Breifne Way. It has received funding for its development from the Irish government for its development.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Suck Valley Way". IrishTrails. Irish Sports Council . Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  2. National Trails Office 2010, p. 44.
  3. 1 2 3 Casey, Harry (23 May 1997). "Minister opens new 60-miles western walk". Connacht Tribune . Galway. p. 33.
  4. "Going Walkabout". Irish Farmers Journal . Dublin. 14 June 1997. p. 44.

Bibliography