IT’S the story that keeps on giving and giving and since it was first highlighted almost a year ago, the proposed Cork to Kinsale Greenway has ruffled many feathers, especially those living along the proposed route.

Many went public about the fact they knew nothing about the proposal until they received communication with the mention of CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order).

IFA officials met with Council officials recently and called on the local authority to go back to the drawing board and recognise that the proposed greenway is not ‘fit for purpose.’

While stakeholders are awaiting an update from the Council in the coming days, the story developed further this week when it was confirmed that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is to purchases two houses for €1m at Goggins Hill in Ballinhassig on behalf of Cork County Council. 

One of those properties is the former station master’s house and is located along the old railway line.

What the local authority plan to do with these two houses remains unclear but feathers were further ruffled when Cllr Ben Dalton O’Sullivan said he only learned of the purchases with the use of public money through the media this week.

A briefing taking place on Thursday (May 7th) with concerned landowners, residents and public representatives will no doubt prove to be an interesting affair and Cllr O’Sullivan will be asking what happens to the two houses if the greenway does not go ahead.

It is understood that the greenway will be divided into three sections and a Council spokesperson that ‘stakeholder engagement will progress on a phased basis on the section from Cork city to Crossbarry and Ballinhassig to further evaluate the feasibility of a preferred route corridor for this section.

Unfortunately for those living in the area affected by the proposed route it has certainly left a bad taste in their mouths and good communication was absent here from the initial idea.

Greenways are to be welcome in communities and do wonders for promoting active travel but lessons need to be learned here and it is still unclear if the greenway will ever materialise or in what guise.

Bravo Ballydehob

Ballydehob really is a village to learn from. It could easily rest on the laurels that are its picturesque location, its charming streets, its iconic 12-arch bridge and of course let’s not forget the wonderful shops, pubs and eateries, one of which just happens to be Michelin-starred.

But no, that’s only for starters. Community spirit in this tiny village is on another level. It boasts just shy of 10 festivals annually, from its annual summer festival to trad, country and maritime folk music weekends, and there’s old-time threshing, the gathering of boats and the Lisdoonvarna-challenging matchmaking weekend.

However, the annual jazz festival, which just celebrated 20 years last weekend, is the jewel in the crown surely? In a sense, this particular musical genre and a rural hamlet in West Cork seem a most unlikely combination, but therein lies the charm. It’s all about the mix. Not unlike the very best of Bebop jazz, there’s a wildness and a sense that the whole thing is being made up on the fly, but in fact there’s a very assured group at the heart of it all, keeping everything grooving at an exhilarating pace. Bravo Ballydehob. Bravo.