The Community of Myshall in partnership with Carlow County Council recently unveiled their latest addition to the community in the form of the Heritage Path Project funded by the Town & Village Renewal Scheme.
Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Chairman of Myshall Muintir Na Tíre Mr. Patsy McLean who thanked all associated with the event especially Carlow County Council and the Department of Rural and Community Development, through whose auspices funding for the project was granted. Mr. McLean said “If it wasn’t for schemes like Town and Village working with communities, villages like ours couldn’t survive.” He continued to say, “This path not only brings two communities together within the Parish of Myshall but because of the village’s links with the Columban Way/Turas Columbanus it links other towns and villages in Ireland from Myshall in Co. Carlow to Bangor in County Down and stretches across Europe to Bobbio in Italy - birth and resting places of the Saint.” “Today”, said Patsy “a number of people walked the first stage of this Columban Way from Bunclody in Co. Wexford to Myshall via the Nine Stones, and tomorrow we will continue this journey to Carlow Town completing the Carlow part of the Camino. Mr. Kenneth Irvine from Bangor joined us in our walk today. The Adelaide Memorial Church is one of the finest buildings and tourist amenities in the County and this path enables it to be accessible to all – locals and tourists alike.”
Patsy concluded by thanking the local community and all the members of Myshall Muintir Na Tíre Guild for backing the project with a particular word of appreciation to Mr. Damian Howard who was the project manager.
Mr. Michael Doyle, a native of Myshall and a member of the Irish Wheelchair Association spoke of the importance of having areas, particularly amenity areas like Tobar Bhríde, wheelchair accessible. He said he was honoured to be asked to cut the ribbon to officially open the path, particularly as he lived in the house nearest the Adelaide Memorial Church. He noted the number of wheelchair users that were present on the night and the joy it is to be able to avail of the facilities within the boundary of the path.
Speaking about the project, Chief Executive Kathleen Holohan said, “we are delighted to work in partnership with the community of Myshall and many communities across County Carlow in the Town & Village Renewal Scheme.” Holohan continued to say, “we have a key role in supporting communities to develop funding proposals which enables them to take a leadership approach in developing their own communities in focused partnership with our executive in Carlow County Council and the elected members.” Holohan concluded by saying “we are delighted to report that across the 11 communities who received Town & Village funding that over 90% of projects are now at an advanced stage of completion and we look forward to the Department’s and the communities’ continued support in this scheme”.
