Save The Barrow Line

The Kilkenny People publish the views of supporters of upgrading the Barrow line for everyone 

Save the Barrow line

Let Waterways restore the Barrow line to its former glory .

Lets bring all the villages and towns along the Barrow to life with jobs for our children .lets embrace our tourists and our friends with all abilities

Save the Barrow line

Open The Barrow Way for all

It’s about Employment, Keeping rural Ireland alive, Access for all.

We are writing to you to express our support for the restoration of The Barrow line from Athy to St Mullins and the creation of Jobs for the young people in towns along the river. Waterways Ireland are submitting a plan for this restoration which has wide spread support in the area .This development of the Barrow path which is a National asset will be a life line to South County Carlow where tourism is in its infancy .Employment has collapsed from Carlow to St Mullins , we need our river path restored to provide Jobs for the area. We run a very busy Coffee shop on The Barrow tow path and when we explain to our customers i.e. Walkers, Cyclists, Canoeists, Tourists what is planned for the path they are overwhelming in favour.

The Green Way in the West of Ireland has shown that when you provide infrastructure a path off road with a good surface that the tourists will come. Businesses will open Bike Hire Hostels, Hotels, B&B and local shops will flourish. Ask any shop keeper in Westport, Mulranny  Newport in the west how their business are going and they will tell you the effect of the Green Way .Do nothing with the Barrow line and this area is condemned to decay.

1. Commercially The Blue Way is a fantastic opportunity for the Counties of Carlow Kilkenny, Laois and Kildare and all the villages along the line, it’s about jobs for the people that live in the area.
2. There are large number of over 60’s who have hips, knees, feet gone who will happily cycle or walk along a level surface and experience the wonderful Barrow River. The elderly and not sure of foot find the current surface difficult.
3. People in Wheel chairs are currently unable to use the Barrow line due to the surface yet it is the most ideal path for them in that it has a very low gradient.
4. Young mothers with Buggy’s are excluded from using the path because of the surface.
5. What is unique about the Barrow path is the low gradient and man-made surface which would be suitable for all abilities to walk by the river
6. There wonderful walks in County Carlow ,Kilkenny however none bar the Barrow track are suitable for people with any physical disability.
7. With a level surface families with children could cycle off road and in safety .
8. The History associated with the Barrow River is enormous Churches Castles Bridges can now be seen by the visitor at their leisure.
9. Our small villages are dying, this development is a unique opportunity to bring them back to life, and the restored Barrow Way can provide Jobs for the next generation.
10. Carlow town is 1hour from Dublin this development is an opportunity to capture that market
11. Now Failte Ireland will have a product to sell to Europe as a quality Cycle and walking path by the river that is suitable for those with disabilities as well as the robust and able-bodied.
12. St Mullins is the most used section of the Barrow line we would like to share this success from Athy to St Mullins .

Martin & Emer O’Brien

The Old Grain Store Self-Catering Cottages and The Mullicháin Café, St Mullins

Odlum's Mills St Mullins Closes 1966 Barrow Path

The Nationalist and Leinster Times

September 9^th 1966

Campaign to get new industry / Face Emigration as Mill Closes

Eleven men from St Mullins, Co Carlow are facing a crisis.

Employees of Odlum’s flour Mills; they are under notice which expires on Friday, October 28^th –the day the Mill grinds to a halt for the last time. It has been in production for 150 years, but is now uneconomic. There is only one other Industry in St Mullins and this employs just over 20 men. The number of men indirectly affected by the closure of the mills is 46.Only one has secured alternative employment –and he has to travel eight miles to New Ross the nearest town. Twelve months ago the mill employed 22 men. Last December twelve of these were left go, the initial move towards final closure. The Future of the building is still in the balance.  On Friday night the local clergy, Dail Deputies, the management and the workers met to exchange views. Although nothing definite emerged the two Deputies Tom Nolan and Seamus Pattison promised to contact The Industrial Development Association with the view to attracting another industry, possibly on the site of the Mill. Mill Manager Mr Vincent Baker told reporter that the reason for closure was that the Mill was not up to the production standards required to keep it going as a paying concern. This Mill he said has the capacity of five 20 stones of flour per hour. The average mill produces at the rate of twenty four 20 Stones. At its peak the mill employed up to fifty men and had four Lorries and two vans on the road. Of the twelve men let off in December as well as three office workers none found work in the village. Three went to England and now more are considering the same course. Of the original dozen only Dick Gladney was unmarried. He now works in the sugar factory in Carlow. Jim Higgins is the only man of the eleven to go in October who has found another job. Jim Doyle who has worked in the Mill for 30 years said “I feel very bad about this. I have worked in England for years and now I suppose ill return there leaving my wife and family at home” Ned Ryan, who has worked in the Mill for 15 years, summed it up this way; “It is a tragedy and it will be the end of St Mullins”. Ned is the only single man at the mill, others have up to eleven children and the majority are only half way through school.

The century and a half old Mill was originally built by a Mr Devereux from Wexford and he transferred the ownership to Sutton & Howlett who in turn sold to Budds in 1833.In 1898 the Mill changed for the last time when Odlom’s took it over.

A Magnificent house stands beside the Mill, built at the turn of the19th Century, and this has been occupied by members of the Odlum family up to a month ago. The house and mill overlook the River Barrow and it is one of the most picturesque settings for any type of industrial concern in the country. St Mullins has for years been the stronghold of hurling in the county. Through the years it has produced the cream of the Carlow County team and of the twelve men under notice no less than eleven of them have worn the county jersey at one time or another.

Since Christmas the Mill has only been engaged in in the production of Bakers flour but prior to that, when things were better at the Mill, it had disturbed wholesale flour throughout Leinster. On Friday last Dick Byrne took the last load of twenty Tons of flour to Portarlington. A meeting will be held on September 23 to see if there is a possibility of establishing another industry in the area

Councillors See The Light

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COUNCILLORS CHANGE THEIR TACK ON ATTITUDE TO BARROW TRACK ‘BLUEWAY’

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2015

CONTROVERSIAL plans by Waterways Ireland to develop the River Barrow were once again before Carlow County Council, with yet another group lodging strenuous objections.

But despite being the second such delegation to come before the council, there was a distinct softening to Waterways Ireland’s plans among council members. It subsequently emerged that councillors had been approached in recent weeks by business owners and interested parties, and they expressed their support for the plan to replace the river’s towpath with a hard surface suitable as a cycle track.

The deputation from Carlow Barrow Users Group led by Rosalind Murray and Bert Mooney began by outlining the history of the Barrow, its importance in terms of trade and, more recently, tourism. Referring to the towpath, Mr Mooney was adamant that a 1.5m wide towpath was “never going to be wide enough to be a proper trail”. He also warned about the potential for erosion.

Ms Murray pointed out that Waterways Ireland had conducted a poll into its plans for the River Barrow and described the results as “overwhelmingly positive”. However, Ms Murray stated that under a freedom of information request, her group had discovered that 84% of those who responded had declared they were against the plans, with just 15% in favour.

Ms Murray asked why Waterways Ireland was just looking at a plan for a cycling track when the River Barrow had even greater untapped potential. She also suggested that any work on the river should be done from the river itself or its puddle.

Cllr Arthur McDonald remarked that the planned investment of between €5m and €7m was needed on the River Barrow. “We have to ensure this funding comes; we must make sure it does,” he warned.

Ms Murray accepted fully that the Barrow was in need of investment but added that the proposed plan was only looking at putting down a surface.

“We have established that €5m or €6m won’t be enough. Our worry is that this proposal is going against the wealth of history and will just end up doing damage to it,” she stated.

Cllr Michael Doran remarked that currently the track surface was in “an atrocious state”. “I would definitely say there should be resources used to improve on it and I believe we need to promote, maintain and get more money for the track … if not, it will fall into the river.”

Cllr Doran also stated that “we have to support Waterways Ireland and shouldn’t jeopardise funding”.

A notice of motion signed by 11 councillors calling for the Barrow’s towpath to be made a protected structure was subsequently deferred, showing a clear sign of a change of heart among the members.

Cllr Doran warned that such a notice of motion would “unilaterally halt development” and potentially be a “serious catastrophe for businesses and home owners”. He also spoke of “people trying to make the Barrow more elitist and not looking at a more holistic approach”.

Cllr Jennifer Murnane O’Connor remarked that “in the last few days, we have been approached by people telling us what this plan might do for tourism and how that would help jobs … everyone should be working together for the good of Carlow”.

“I’m not here to pick a side, I’m here to represent Carlow,” she said.

Both cllr Brian O’Donoghue and cllr John Cassin remarked that they had “signed the motion in good faith” but that further information had come to light since.