New River Ara walking route to help transform Tipperary town

A proposed new walkway has the potential to transform the town of Tipperary.

The River Ara Walking Route, proposes to link Abbey Street to Glenview Square via a river walk along the banks of the River Ara.

Tipperary in Irish is Tiobraid Árann meaning the Well of Ara, a reference to the river that flows through the town and on which the town was built.

The river is very much to the centre of the town but it is also a much under-utilised resource for the town, its people and visitors.

The proposal aims to interlink the amenities of the town centre with the natural beauty of the River Ara as it meanders away from town in a southerly direction towards the Bansha Woods.

The walking route will provide a much needed social amenity to the town of Tipperary for its residents, locals and visitors to the town linking in with existing walking routes in the town. This proposal will provide two loop walks both incorporating the Ara walk.

The proposed river walk, at about 800 metres in length, is shown in red on the aerial photograph above.

This will link in with existing walking routes in town, on the Bansha Road (yellow loop) and also on the Station Road (blue loop). This project is part funded by the Co. Council.

This project aims to provide a walkway along the river bank; seating areas; natural playground; river window; area for educational sampling/outdoor classroom area; protection of natural wetland; biodiversity awareness development/bug hotels; appropriate fencing, lighting and landscaping on the route.

The river forms a national setting for education for the local community and visitors about local biodiversity and the valuable ecological services it provides.