Running in Cork, Ireland: Results of the 3rd consultation of the Cork to Kinsale Greenway

Friday, June 12, 2026

Results of the 3rd consultation of the Cork to Kinsale Greenway - June 2026

The results of the third public consultation of the proposed Cork City to Kinsale Greenway has been now been published.

You can view it HERE

Some key points...

a) This is how the number of submissions to the third consultation compares to the previous two...

b) In favour or against...

51% said that there would be no benefit. Roughly 50% said that they would use it.

It's worth noting that there has been a very active disinformation campaign against the proposed greenway and the above results may or may not be representative of the people living near the proposed greenway.

These were the top 10 objections to the proposed greenway...

1 Impact on local residents/farmers - Obviously some farmers will have some serious concerns as their farm and rightly so. It doesn't mean that those concerns cannot be assuaged.

As for residents, there were people telling elderly residents that the council were going to knock their homes for a 'cycle route'! There seems to have been a perception that just because a house was within the 400m wide potential corridor for the greenway then it might be knocked. The council have never said that they were going to demolish peoples homes for the greenway.

2 Privacy, security or safety concerns - That old chestnut again. Your biggest safety concern is outside your front gate and it's called a public road. Look at any of the property websites and one of the features often listed is access to a local greenway.

Perish the thought that someone might break into your house and make off down the greenway on a bike with your 50-inch TV under their arm.

3 Environment or wildlife concerns - Some will have have genuine concerns. Some couldn't care less and will use this as an excuse.

4 Cost and value concerns - The real answer here is what is the actual cost / benefit analysis? Contributions like 'They'd be better off fixing the potholes' doesn't add anything to the debate.

5 Antisocial behaviour concerns - See number 2. Usual scaremongering and nonsense.

6 Perceived lack of transparency or information - This was the third consultation.

7 Increased traffic and parking concerns - That will depend on the final plans for the greenway.

8 Preference for alternative routes - That was covered in the earlier consultations.

9 Opposition to CPOs & 10 Use of private land - It's hard to use just public land only for any public projects like roads or greenways.

Hill of Hysteria... There's a concept called the 'Hill of Hysteria'

A project is announced, there's a mad panic about it with lot of hysteria and after the project is completed. people wonder what was all the fuss about?

For projects like the Kinsale Greenway, some people will have genuine concerns and those concerns must be addressed. Others however are actively promoting a campaign of lies and disinformation and that needs to be challenged.

There are plenty of people living near or along the proposed route who would welcome the greenway but are afraid to support it publicly because they feel intimidated.

What's next... According to the report... "The next phase of work will therefore involve focused, one‑to‑one engagement between the Project Team and potentially impacted landowners to refine the EPRC with the aim of identifying a Preferred Route Corridor and solutions that minimise impacts wherever possible."

All of the above is supposed to be completed by 2027 according to the timeline above.

I suspect the real issue for now is the political will to see this project through to its completion.