Major Boost Update For Long Awaited Arklow - Shillelagh Greenway Project

A key Wicklow Greenway project has received significant funding as an update to the plan for south Wicklow near Arklow has been revealed

It's reported Transport Infrastructure Ireland believes the Arklow to Shillelagh Greenway project is expected to move to the next phase of planning shortly.

Subject to the outcome of TII’s review of the Phase 2 deliverables, this project is expected to progress to Phase 3: Design and Environmental Evaluation, in the coming weeks. 

The greenway, which would pass through including Shillelagh, Tinahely, Aughrim, Annacurra, Woodenbridge, and Arklow has been stuck in phase two since 2023.

Phase 2 involved extensive work on assessing the impact of project constraints.Greenway schemes in County Wicklow were allocated €1,650,000 in 2025, with €500,000 going towards the Arklow to Shillelagh project.

The proposed Greenway will be approximately 33km in length and will commence at Shillelagh village south of County Wicklow.

The proposed route will follow the disused Woodenbridge to Shillelagh Railway Line which lies adjacent to the banks of the Derry River, Aughrim River and Avoca River. It will run through villages Tinahely, Aughrim, Woodenbridge eventually connecting to Arklow Town.

The cost range of the project stands at anywhere between €20 and €30m.

Local Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow-Wexford Fionntáin Ó Súilleabháin has said the importance of the project being advanced cannot be played down any longer:

''This project is of huge importance to Co.Wicklow, in terms of wealth and wellbeing, local recreation and tourism.I am pleased that it should progress to Stage 3 for the autumn and hopefully to the construction phases (4,5,6 and 7) soon after.''

He has outlined his attempts to get more clarity of the status of the project:

''I also raised this delay directly with with Minister Pascal O'Donohoe in the chamber of Leinster House last month and is a flagship project that I intend to pursue until be see it inplace. In such a scenic area, it will no doubt attract large numbers of people from throughout Ireland and indeed from further afield.''

In 2011, Wicklow County Council undertook an initial study consider the potential reuse of the Shillelagh branch railway line as a Greenway.

Arising out of this initial study, funding was secured from the NTA to carry out a detailed feasibility study and preliminary design for a potential Greenway from Arklow to Woodenbridge and onwards to Shillelagh.