Major award for innovative Mayo project

Kiltimagh Velorail, a partnership between IRD Kiltimagh CLG and Mayo County Council, has received an international accolade from the UK National Railway Heritage Association for the innovative and courageous repurposing of 13km of a disused railway line, part of the Western Rail Corridor which closed to passenger traffic in 1965, into a new commercial and sustainable project that will breathe life into the line and to the tourism infrastructure in East Mayo for years to come. 

The partnership between the local community and the local authority created a new tourism amenity by clearing and restoring 13km of the rail-line and the Station House, and now operates the railbike attraction which has brought visitors from all over the world to Kiltimagh and Mayo since it opened in June 2023.

The National Railway Heritage Awards is the only UK or Irish body dedicated to encouraging and rewarding best practice in the re-use, restoration and continued upkeep of our rich heritage of railway and tramway buildings and structures. The awards competition is described as "a competition to recognise, acknowledge and reward, for the public benefit, the very best in re-use, restoration and conservation of our historic railway infrastructure”.

The award was presented by the National Railway Heritage Awards Chairman and Trustee, Andy Savage MBE and special guest, Ptolemy Dean OBE, Architect and TV presenter, to Joe Kelly, CEO, IRD Kiltimagh and Peter McCormack, Engineer with Mayo County Council, at a special ceremony held in the Merchant Taylors Hall in Central London.

Speaking after receiving the award, Mr Kelly said: “I am absolutely delighted to accept this award on behalf of the many people and organisations that have helped bring the Kiltimagh Velorail from idea stage to the point of being a successful tourism project which brings many people to the area each tourism season. 

"I am proud to have been part of the team that has now had their courage and creativity acknowledged by this award, having overcome complexity and adversity to develop a project that is the first of its kind anywhere in Ireland or the UK. I am also delighted that in its first two seasons that Kiltimagh Velorail has proven itself successful, capable of operating as a community business, employing local people and attracting significant numbers of visitors to the area to have the unique experience that is Velorail.” 

Concluding, he said, “The award is also recognition for all the helpful and friendly staff of Velorail who meet our customers daily as well as those staff who perform the essential, often unseen, maintenance tasks."

Peter McCormack, from Mayo County Council’s Tourism, Recreation and Amenity section, said: “It is an honour to receive recognition from the National Railway Heritage Awards for the hard work and dedication of everyone that was involved in delivering the Velorail project. The awards have a long running history of marking achievements in re-using and restoring railway infrastructure in a sustainable manner and Velorail has delivered in this respect while also enhancing Mayo’s outdoor activity offering and delivering on its vision of a county that is sustainable, inclusive, thriving, and proud." 

Mr McCormack also added that “the project was part funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development through Mayo County Council and through the LEADER Programme administered by South West Mayo Development Company CLG as part of the Mayo Local Action Group”.