Minister Heather Humphreys has today announced that she has secured the funding to allow the first section of the Ulster Canal project to go ahead. This will result in a re-watered, navigable canal linking Lough Erne at Quivvy Lough to the scouting campus at Castlesaunderson.

This is wonderful news, and gives the project a much needed morale boost, as it has been effectively stalled due to lack of funding since being awarded planning permission at the end of 2013.

Monaghan County Council is working with our counterparts in Armagh, Fermanagh, Cavan and Dungannon Councils to extend the Greenway (which currently runs for 4.2kn through Monaghan town) from Castlesaunderson on to Clones, Monaghan, Middletown and Blackwatertown, from where it will link via Loughgall to the Armagh- Portadown Greenway.

Watch this space!