Many, many moons ago the promotion of cycling tours on Prince Edward Island in Canada was featured on this web page as an example that might find favour in Ireland. Now Fáilte Ireland, the Irish tourism board, has announced new plans to advance the lure of Ireland as a place for tourists to enjoy cycling holidays.

Around 100,000 visitors travel to Ireland on cycling holidays every year, and the overseas market is worth around 86m. To increase the number of cycling tourists the tourism board plans to identify a national network of cycling routes along secondary roads where there is less traffic.

It hopes to develop a network of 2,500 kilometres, mainly in the west of the country and around the River Shannon.

"What's needed is a very clear mapping system, and it could be in place in less than five years," said senior promotions manager Paddy O'Mahony. "It would require a minimal amount of work and investment. But it's going to bring in a lot of extra business back into rural communities. The farming community and landowners benefit greatly in terms of B&Bs, country farmhouses, and so on. We'll promote the regional airports to try and get people into the hinterland."

Also on the board's agenda is development of short walking routes of less than five kilometers, covering bogland, hill, or archaeological sites of interest.

The main emphasis is on cycling tours of the western and southern regions of the country, along secondary roads.

On Prince Edward Island, in Canada, abandoned railway lines were adapted as cycling trails, and have proven highly successful.

Donegal is one county with many abandoned railway lines that could offer alternative safe cycling routes through some of the most scenic country in Ireland. Fáilte Ireland might be persuaded to consider the idea, and thus help one of the poorer regions of the country but one of the richest in landscape, seascape, and hospitality.

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