National Trails Day 2009 -  Sunday 4^th October

·        Water trails for canoeists and kayakers included for first time!

·        100 events taking place all over the country

·        National Trails Day goes All Ireland with Northern Ireland Forest Service   
         Hosting Events

Friday 11th September 2009 - National Trails Day was launched today and will take place on Sunday 4^th October.  Events are planned all over the country including water trails for the first time ever, where canoeists and kayakers will be out on the water. This year’s National Trails Day has been expanded from 70 events last year to 100 this year.

This year’s events include a canoe trail on Lough Erne, mountain biking, trail conservation work, nature and heritage walks, family orienteering and family cycling.  There will also be a walk in the world famous Aillwee caves beneath the Burren in Co Clare, and a series of off-shore events on Bear Island, Co Cork, Arranmore Co Donegal and Inisbofin, Co Galway for the first time.

This year National Trails Day is an all-Ireland event with, for the first time, Northern Ireland Forest Service and Northern Ireland Tourist Board as sponsors, along with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Coillte, the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and Fáilte Ireland. With more and varied events the across the country, the 2009 National Trials Day will prove even more popular than 2008.

At the launch today Minister Eamonn Ó Cúiv TD, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, called on everyone to get out on October 4th and enjoy some of the best countryside in Europe.

Minister O’Cuiv said: "A lot of work has been undertaken through the walks scheme by my own department over the last few years and Coillte, Fáilte Ireland and the Sports Council have also developed high quality trails. National Trails Day is an opportunity for everyone to get out and experience the trails for themselves.”

Minister Gildernew said: "I am delighted that National Trails Day is now being celebrated in the north and we hope that many families will avail of the forests and trails that we have to offer.”

A full listing of events is on www.nationaltrailsday.ie . Event organisers can still post events for the day by logging on to the website and completing the form.

ENDS

For more information

Alison Mills/Pippa Halley\Q4PR
086 851 2890/087 057 6844

Interesting events & themes for National Trails Day 2009

• Nordic Walking, Carrickgolligan Woods, Dublin Mountains
• Recreational Canoe Paddle, Lough Erne Canoe Trail, Co Fermanagh
• John Treacy, Sports Council,  leading a walk, Ticknock, Dublin Mountains
• Eanna Ni Lamhna led walk, Oak Park Forest Park, Carw
• Burren Forest - Cavan

Join Geopark Geoogist, Dr Kirstin Lemon, local historian, Jim Nolan, and Coillte staff for a guided walk of the Burren Forest. This site contains a wealth of archaeological and geological wonders, many of which will be discussed along the way. Now a site within the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark, the Burren Forest is a hidden gem within the landscapes of West Cavan.

• Gougan Barra

Come to Gougan Barra and walk all the recently upgraded trails at Ireland’s  first forest park established in 1966.  A gem in terms of scenery, the site of St Finbar's first monastery and the source of the river Lee

• Offshore events!

Events are taking place on three islands off the West coast:

                Bear Island, Co Cork

                Arranmore Co Donegal

                Inisbofin, Co Galway

• A range of orienteering events are being organised for all ages and abilities as well as family cycling events.

For info on all these events and much more see www.nationaltrailsday.ie