Our vision for Kilkenny County is for active travel to become a viable first choice for more people, improving our health and our air quality.
If we have our health, we have everything. During the pandemic, the importance of a daily walk became essential to us all. Many of us found the lack of traffic to be a refreshing reminder of the importance of fresh air and safe walkways.
But when we think about going out, too many fit and healthy people do what we’ve always done; we jump into the car.
When it comes to shifting mindsets, convenience and balance is key.
Cars will remain the only option for people with disabilities or young families, but if we want to see a shift in behaviour from those who can walk or cycle, we also need to provide direct, accessible, safe and secure walking links to key services and workplaces from residential areas.
Greenways are going strong in Kilkenny.
The first phase of new South East Greenway between New Ross and Glenmore is completed. This leg joins the vast 24 km that connects Wexford to Waterford City via South Kilkenny that will be ready and open by 2025. This important pathway will eventually connect the village of Slieverue with Waterford City, meaning local residents can cycle to work in 15 minutes!
From Pole to Pole
Activator Poles are a great way to improve balance and confidence! Kilkenny Recreation and Sports Partnership (KRSP) and Kilkenny County Council Library Service have teamed up to lend these poles through four designated libraries in Kilkenny: Loughboy, Castlecomer, Ferrybank and Graiguenamanagh. All you need is a library card to get going!
Active Storytelling
In partnership with Creative Ireland, Kilkenny County Council Library Service created Slí na Scéalta, an outdoor story trail in Woodstock, Inistioge. A series of storytelling panels attract children’s attention and encourage them to keep walking to find out what happens next!
Enhanced Safety for Piltown
It’s also a priority to improve the safety of the road network we already have. The community of Piltown asked for help with an accident hotspot on the Tower Road. Over €14M has been spent on a new road system that provides enhanced facilities for vulnerable road users and safer access for local road users and visitors to Piltown from the busy N24.
Active in Callan
Bridge Street in Callan was a busy and often dangerous road with two way traffic in a very narrow corridor. Following consultation that began in 2020, Bridge Street is the newest part of the town’s one way system.
This is just part of the jigsaw of activities that will help to make active travel to schools, work or the shops, a safer, more viable option for more people.
A bridge to tomorrow for Castlecomer
Castlecomer’s Discovery Park is second only to Kilkenny Castle in visitor numbers so it was a priority to have a safe and walkable connection to the town centre.
The new pedestrian bridge over the River Dinin helps to reduce traffic and encourage active travel in this beautiful part of Kilkenny.
Staying Together in Thomastown
Thomastown’s new Health and Recreational Space is proving to be a popular and much needed resource for residents of all ages.
With an impressive new community hall and safe, inclusive facilities to play tennis, basketball and badminton, Thomastown is giving everyone the chance to be actively involved in this community.
It’s not surprising that it was a group of local volunteers, the Thomastown Community Recreational Area Group who saw the potential of the derelict area behind the community centre and pushed the project onwards.
Working with Kilkenny County Council and community, the team successfully secured €100,000 under the 2020 Town and Village Renewal Scheme for this rewarding project.
The River Nore
Better city connections will emerge with the construction of a boardwalk at Greensbridge. This will connect the River Nore Riverside Walk with the new Riverside Linear Park in the Abbey Quarter, and onwards to the Canal Walk and new urban park in the Abbey Quarter.
The Abbey Quarter
We will develop an urban street through the Abbey Quarter linking Bateman Quay and St Francis Bridge and an urban park and stunning public plaza around St Francis’ Abbey. In the winter time, we can imagine this plaza being home to an ice rink.
Enhanced pedestrian facilities at the junction of The Parade, Rose Inn Street, High Street and Patrick Street will help to attract people further into the city.
The public realm and pavement along the High Street and Parliament Street has been significantly enhanced.
E-Bikes in the City
A trial E-bike scheme began in Kilkenny City in August 2022. E-Bikes are perfect for people who don’t feel able to use a normal bicycle and for those who have to take longer journeys. This has proven enormously successful with a wide variety of people - locals and tourists using the bikes to get around and in turn reducing the number of cars on the roads.
Skate Community
Kilkenny’s first dedicated skate park was opened in May 2021. This first stage of the new Riverside Park has helped to build a dedicated skating community that will help to put Kilkenny on the map for this impressive action sport.
The Healthy Ireland Community Plan 2018-2021 aims to create:
...where wellbeing is valued and supported at every level of society. Encompassing areas like healthy eating, exercise and tobacco reduction, to sexual health and positive ageing, this strategy is enhanced by Kilkenny’s focus on empowering people to walk or cycle rather than using cars. The Nore Valley Walk is a great example of this plan in action. We are currently carrying out a feasibility study to extend the city walk to Thomastown. When added to the existing connection to Inistioge, this walkway will in time, connect right through to the New Ross Greenway - an exciting prospect for walkers and cyclists.
Over the next three years, with support from the Healthy Ireland Fund, Kilkenny County Council will be helping various groups of people to increase their physical activity.
People living with disabilities, adolescents, one parent families - there is a long list of people who can access extra help with increasing their physical activity. To meet this need, there will be targeted support from organisations like Social Farming Ireland, Foróige, Kilkenny Leader Partnership, Newpark Family Resource Centre, Kilkenny Traveller Community Movement and the Social and Health Education Project.
These highly experienced organisations can cut to the chase, delivering plans that will have a positive impact on these groups of people. We will also be working on an EU funded project called Urban Action (UcanACT) that encourages all citizens aged over 50 to practise physical activity as a way to prevent cancer.
Following some focus groups in January 2023, we have identified the needs and developed a Citizens Engagement Strategy. We anticipate commencing our Cancer Specific Physical Activity Exercise sessions in 2024, supported by physiotherapists in Kilkenny.
By sharing the latest research on the strong connection between physical activity and cancer, we hope to change behaviour for the better, improving health and wellbeing in the over 50s.
Our Period Dignity initiative was rolled out in 2023
Offering free period products in Public Accessible Local Authority Facilities, youth services, family resource centres, homeless services and the local women’s refuge, this powerful initiative will have a positive effect on Kilkenny’s women and girls, helping to tackle period poverty and reduce the stress of paying for these essential items.
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