East Munster Way

The leg between Carraig on Suir and Kilsheelan is a fantastic walk, however it must be said that it is overgrown for short streches, but the siezed up gates are a major hindrance, this leg really should be accessable to all and as it stands it is not. One has to wonder when it was last assessed and why this wasn't rectified.



Also, and not wanting to be over critical, the marking around Russelstown forrest is extremely poor, especially as this part of the walk has changed over the years a bit of extra effort is required as it differs from the only guide book available.

In response to the issues raised by John from Roscommon in his review, the National Trails Office would like to clarify two points. The reason that the trail crosses into Co Waterford leaving the river bank between Kilsheelan and Clonmel is that one landowner along this section of riverbank has refused permission for the trail to go this way. Despite repeated and ongoing attempts this has not yet been resolved.



John also suggests that the trail route was designed to include two counties and the jurisdiction of two walks officers. While Co Waterford now has a walks officer and Co. Tipperary has a Rural Recreation Officer, this route was put in place many years before either of these positions were established.

Typical badly-planned and poorly-maintained excuse for a long-distance trail. Follows the Suir out of Carrick-on-Suir and is fine for a few miles where local authority and private fishing accommodation providers keep it maintained, after that it deteriorates. Simple stuff like maintaining gates and cutting back vegetation from markers isn't done.

The trail follows the riverbank into Kilsheelan, a small village that looks inviting from a distance but which in reality is not very welcoming to walkers. Our enquiry in the pub near the bridge about food or tea/coffee was met with indifference and with being directed to another pub which was closed.

After Kilsheelin, things go from bad to worse. Instead of following the old towpath to Clonmel, the trail inexplicably crosses into County Waterford and follows the road for a mile before entering Coillte woodlands and doubling back to a point well before Kilsheelan, adding a pointless five miles or so to the trip. Clearly, the trail route was designed so as to include two counties and the jurisdiction of two walks officers, and not for the pleasure and amenity of walkers. The curse of Leader Funding grant limits, maybe? Makes no sense when there is an old towpath along the river; this trail should be used to keep this route open.

To make it worse, Clonmel taxi drivers rely less on meters and more on what seems to be an agreed excessively high rate for a trip back to Carrick-on-Suir.

Avoid.

If you enjoy serenity,furtive and tantalising glimpses of primordial Irish broadleaves and edible berries to refresh you on your amblings,go to the area above kilsheelan.The only sentient life you'll see is likely to be;fallow deer(never saw a red up there),rare and screeching jays(my estimate at least 4 pairs),even rarer ravens,mountain hares,kestrels,the odd sparrow hawk,something big and white once(the owl I saw coming from the castle below at dusk one time?),foxes,squirrels,dippers in the lower streams and a myriad small,iridescent,exotic birds flitting through the lodgepole pines(bullfinches and crossbills by the looks of them) as well the animals I never saw but I know are there such as pine marten and mink.Just to confirm-it is highly unlikely that the Black Panther of Kilsheelan or any other large cat is up there.The sheep at the top of the hill graze naturally and the deer can be approached to within 20yards regularly.There are small feral cats,one large tomcat without a tail and I even saw a greyhound-type emaciated black dog with mastiff-sized jaws ghosting through the trees once.Neither is there any evidence of wild boar on the road-tracks or any sign of wallows-and I 've looked everywhere.Maybe they were there once but not recently that I can see-am open to correction on that!There are very few places in Ireland that natures sorcery,although diluted still exists.This particular section will cast a glamour on you if you love nature.It ranks up there with Tullaghane in Leitrim(at the bridge where the salmon come in from the sea) and the Old Head of Kinsale.Go there and see for yourself why it was woven from natures loom.You won't be disappointed.