Littleton’s Labyrinth walk receives funding under the Government’s Just Transition Fund

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD has announced two major funding allocations for the Just Transition programme in the Midlands, designed to assist communities transitioning out of peat harvesting and into a new, green and sustainable economy.
Tipperary is set to benefit from major investment under the €27.8 million announcement for the country.
Cllr Sean Ryan announced that the Peatway/Labyrinth in Littleton has been provisionally awarded €663,719 in funding under the Just Transition Fund. This is the first step in the process to develop a Greenway on the old bog railway line from Killeen’s in Ballynonty to Templetouhy. According to Cllr. Ryan “this project has the potential to transform rural tourism in Mid Tipperary and is great news for our locality”.
The Littleton Labyrinth will include a Peatway which will start at the Horse and Jockey and continue to Glengoole and include Lough Doire Bhile which is situated two miles north of Glengoole, just off the Bord na Móna Lanespark bog. This is Stage 1 of the Littleton Project and, when completed, the walkway will be approx. 25km long and go from the Horse and Jockey along the old Bord na Mona rail line to Templetouhy.
The announcement was welcomed by leader of the Labour Party Alan Kelly TD who has also worked on the project wtih other local government representatives.
Deputy Michael Lowry said “these projects represent innovative and inspiring plans from businesses, local authorities and communities in Tipperary who are committed to creating a green and sustainable economy.

Jackie Cahill, Tipperary Fianna Fáil T.D. also welcomed the news that the Energy Communities Tipperary Cooperative CLG will receive €995,000 and Tipperary Energy Agency CLG based in Nenagh and Cahir will receive €603,625 in funding.
The Tipperary Energy Agency CLG is set to receive slightly over €600,000 under the announcement. This group is based on Church Street in Cahir and Silver Street in Nenagh. Tipperary Energy Agency is an independent social enterprise that focusses on driving the energy transition through the provision of expertise, innovation and strong customer service. Their customers are communities, businesses, citizens and the public sector.
The Cabinet approved funding of €108m for Bord na Móna’s large-scale peatlands restoration project. The plan will protect the storage of 100m tonnes of carbon, sequester 3.2m tonnes of carbon out to 2050, enhance biodiversity, create 350 jobs in total and will deliver significant benefits and contribute to Ireland’s target of being carbon-neutral by 2050. The Government funding, which will come from the Climate Action Fund, will be bolstered by an €18m investment from Bord na Móna, who are committed to a “brown to green” transition.
Many of those employed in this project will be former peat harvesters who have an intimate knowledge and long history of working on our bogs.