New section of Greenway between Glenbrook and Monkstown is open - Apr 2026

 

Over the last few days, contractors have been putting the finishing touches to the new greenway between Glenbrook and Monkstown and it is now finally open as can be seen in the photo above.

It's not that long but it's another step in getting a full greenway between Carrigaline and Cork City.

The map above shows the location. The bright green section is the new greenway which is about 730m in length. The dark green section is the existing narrower section which runs under the 'Cut and Cover' railway tunnel and comes out in Monkstown.

The new greenway starts at the cross harbour ferry as shown above and heads south.

The photo above shows the end of the new section and transitions onto the narrower 400m section. The 'Cut and Cover' railway tunnel can be seen in the distance and Monkstown is around the corner.

Video... The video below shows part of the new greenway starting from the car ferry...

Cork to Carrigaline Greenway... This is a map of the approximate route for the full 17.5km greenway which will go from Pairc Ui Chaoimh in Cork City to Carrigaline.

As of the Spring of 2026, there is a greenway from Cork City to Passage West which is about 8kms in length and there is a short 500m section in Carrigaline. The balance is about 9kms.

This new section from the car ferry to Monkstown reduces the undeveloped section from about 9 to 8kms. It's not a huge amount but it's another step in the overall project.

Impact???... The previous footpath was reasonably wide so the impact for walkers and runners of the new section is pretty small, it just means that there is more space. The bigger impact will be for slower cyclists in that the greenway is a lot safer than the main road for adults and children. Motorists benefit because there are fewer cyclists on the road that they need to pass.

In terms of road races, the Great Railway Run from Cork to Carrigaline and the Cork Down Syndrome charity half-marathon from Haulbowline to Pairc Ui Chaoimh use this route.

Notice: Karen Fenton Memorial 5k in Ballinora - Sun 26th April 2026

The Karen Fenton 5K Memorial Run is scheduled to take place this year on Sunday 26th of April 2026 @ 11:30am. The location is for the 5k is in Ballinora which is just to the south of Ballincollig in the western part of Cork City.

Entries...You can enter online HERE

Update: Please note that the start time has been changed from 12:30pm to 11:30am.

Entries will also be taken on the day for the same price.

Part 2 of the South Kerry Greenway near Glenbeigh opens 2nd Apr 2026

The first part of the South Kerry Greenway opened near Goldens of Kells on the 19th of December 2025. See previous post.

The second part of the South Kerry Greenway near Glenbeigh will be opened at 2pm on Thursday 2nd of April 2026. This has been announced in several media outlets over the last few days but if you're not from the area then it's not really clear about what's really happening. I have put together a map shown above which shows the new stages.

The first stage at Kells is about 3.1kms in length and has been popular with walkers. The only thing though is that it's a bit in the middle of nowhere and people have to drive there to get access.

The second stage however starts in the village of Glenbeigh so local walkers and runners can access it from home. It is 4.2kms in length which gives 8.4kms for anyone going out and back. That's probably a roughly 90-minute walk for someone so it's pretty reasonable.

This new section basically has high ground to the west so there are no sea views but the semi-circle of mountains to the south provide a lovely backdrop to this section.

It is expected that an additional 2kms will be added to this section by the summer of 2026. The plan is to add an additional 10kms to the Greenway in 2027.

While the full greenway is 32kms in length and goes from Glenbeigh to Reenard (south west of Cahersiveen), the jewel in the crown so to speak is the section between the first and second sections.

This will have elevated views out over Dingle Bay and will include three short tunnels and one bridge.

New section of greenway near Glenbeigh

Once these two sections are connected then the greenway project takes on a whole new life. It was the same as the Waterford greenway. Once the section from Dungarvan to Kilmacthomas opened, the visitors flocked in. 

It should be the same for Glenbeigh. Cyclists can use it for an easy out and back cycle and there will be plenty of choices for walkers and runners. It's great to see some progress at last.

Cork City Marathon finish line moves to the Grand Parade...

The organisers of the Cork City Marathon have announced that the finish line for the 2026 event will move from Patricks Street to the Grand Parade. 

The full marathon will now start on the Grand Parade and finish by the city library on the Grand Parade.

The half-marathon will still start on Monahan Road which is about 500m from the city hall and it will finish on the Grand Parade.

The 10k will start somewhere on the South Mall and will finish on the Grand Parade.

According to the organisers.... "Exciting News! We have new start and finish lines this year, designed to improve safety, increase capacity, and create a stronger city-centre experience for runners and spectators!". They also put out a press release which was a masterclass in a public relations word salad.

What it means... 1) It makes no difference to the runners or spectators experience, it's just a different finish line.

2) They had about 20-metres in width available for a finish line on Patricks Street. It's about 30-metres on the Grand Parade so it's easier for the organisers.

3) Patricks Street is one of the main retail areas of Cork City. By moving the finish line to the Grand Parade, it means a lot less disruption for retailers and shoppers on Patricks Street.

Slí Cumann na mBan... This is the name of the riverside walk which went from the Mardyke Walk to the Irish Distillers plant by the North Mall. The Marathon, Half-Marathon & 10k will no longer use this section and instead, it will take a more direct route towards Washington Street and the finish line on the Grand Parade.

This walkway was useful from an organisers point of view in the past as it meant that fewer roads would need to be closed. It is however quite narrow and was a real bottleneck when the number of runners was high.

By keeping the runners on public roads, it should mean that the numbers can be increased in the future.

In summary... The reality is that the Cork Marathon event is starting to fall behind and wasn't living up to its full potential. Cork City is the 3rd largest city in Ireland and in 2024, the Cork Half-Marathon was the 3rd largest half-marathon in Ireland. In 2025, it dropped down to 7th place because it wasn't able to cater for the demand.

Moving the finish to the Grand Parade means that it is moving from a retail area to a more suitable location for a sporting event. Removing the riverside walk will enable larger numbers in future allow the event to live up to its true potential.