Hopes that Drumboe walkway closed for 13 years will reopen next month

It's hoped that the long-awaited Drumboe woodland walkway in Stranorlar will reopen within the next month.

The walkway linking the woods to the grounds of Finn Valley College was closed 13 years ago and its reopening has been the subject of a long-running campaign by local councillors.

Councillors Martin Harley and Patrick McGowan had both pushed for the route to be restored to full public use over the years, with Cllr Harley at one stage remarking that he would “take an angle grinder there myself” to resolve a dispute over gates blocking access.

Speaking at this month’s meeting of the Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District, Cllr Harley said works are progressing well.

“It’s a fantastic job, it’s well cleared and hopefully will be completed by the end of this month and maybe then we will have an official opening," the MD Cathaoirleach said.

“It’s important for the whole area. It’s been a bad news story for a long time, so when we get something positive, it’s good to get a good news story out."

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Cllr Harley said the project will have major benefits for the local community.

“We talk about spending millions on greenways, when this is completed, it will be less than €100,000," he said.

“It’ll be fantastic for all the people in that area, and for their safety, that people won’t have to go through Stranorlar to get to the woods that are within 150m of their houses.”