by Donal Nolan — The Kerryman / June 13th, 2007
Moyvane’s woodland paradise was this week awarded the Open Gate Trophy by North Kerry Walks for the wonderful enhancement it brings to the quality of life in the rural village.
The Moyvane Nature Walk and Village Trail now takes walkers on over two and a half miles of wooded track and with new developments being introduced each year by the organising committee it keeps getting better. The Moyvane Group responsivle for the walk remained rather surprised by its success at the North Kerry Walks annual awards night on Monday.
“We were thrilled with the win as we weren’t expecting it at all. We’ve won the Open Gate once before, not long after the walk was first constituted, but we never thought we’d win it a second time so soon as the compeition is very keen,” Secretary of the Moyvane Walk Committee, Seamus Roche, said.
One new feature of the trail to which the group are now ascribing their success is the restored old lime kiln. “We were able to complete that winin the last 12 months and I think it has had a great effect on the overall walk, being such an historical feature,” Mr Roche said.
“The main thing of course is that the people of the village are using the walk in great numbers and it’s a wonderful amenity for everyone, from national school pupils to the elderly,” Mr Roche added. He was accompanied by fellow committee member Denis O’Flaherty in accepting the prize on Monday. “We would like to thank everyone for their help, including North Kerry Walks and the late Tom Finn who, alng with Ogie Moran, gave us great advice and really got the whole thing moving back in 1996.”
