The Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley paid a visit to the twin West Cork villages of Ballineen and Enniskeane recently to launch the new Heritage Trail, created by the Ballineen and Enniskeane Tidy Towns Association, taking in several sites on the Trail and the much-admired Biodiversity and Sensory Riverside Garden during the visit.
Speaking at the launch, Mayor Linehan Foley praised the work, commitment and dedication of Ballineen and Enniskeane Tidy Towns Association volunteers, saying: “The pride that the people of Ballineen and Enniskeane take in their community is evident today, on Courthouse Plaza, along the Heritage Trail and in the beautiful Riverside Garden. Giving generously of their time and energy, Tidy Town volunteers take action each day, great and small, to improve their local environment and it shows.
“On behalf of Cork County Council, I would like to congratulate Ballineen and Enniskeane Tidy Towns Association for their hard work and dedication in bringing this project to fruition. We’re delighted to support this initiative, which will have both a positive impact on quality of life here and on the local economy as our businesses strive to bounce back.”
Chairperson of Ballineen and Enniskeane Tidy Towns Association, Margaret O’Donovan, said, “We envisage the creation and positioning of the Heritage Trail and Walking Trail Boards throughout the villages will serve to encourage local and wider-scale tourism and assist in the economic sustainability of local small businesses. This is particularly pertinent as we navigate the exigencies of the ‘new needs’ of the ‘new normal’ as part of our ‘Survive and Thrive’ proposal for the current and post-pandemic social, economic and cultural landscapes. In line with our vision for the regeneration and enhancement of the villages, we sought to erect wall plaques, information boards and finger-post signs to document this historical tapestry.
“This vision could not become a reality, however, without the support of Cork County Council, who came on board to finance all aspects of the project, thereby enabling our ideas to come to fruition.”
