July 22, 2026

Clare Outdoor Recreation Plan – Community-Led Vision

Clare’s new Outdoor Recreation Plan will be launched in Inchiquin, near Corofin, on Friday 24 July 2026 at 2pm. The event will feature remarks by CLDC’s Rural Recreation Officer, Eoin Hogan, underscoring the county’s commitment to its outdoors. The plan has been shaped by extensive stakeholder input: local landowners, sports and heritage groups, and hundreds of residents have been consulted through meetings, surveys and public forums.

This broad engagement reflects a shared commitment across Clare to protect and enhance outdoor spaces while keeping them accessible and enjoyable for all.

One of the Plan’s great strengths is that it celebrates existing community success stories. It highlights examples of best practice where public bodies and volunteers have worked together to make recreation more sustainable and inclusive. For instance:

  • Burren & Cliffs Explorer Shuttle (NPWS “Burren Bus”): A free hop-on shuttle from Corofin village into the Burren National Park reduces traffic and parking pressure in the sensitive landscape. This eco-friendly transport helps visitors enjoy the Burren’s unique trails and flora without harming the environment.
  • Kayak Le Chéile (Clare Sports Partnership): An urban adventure club at Scoil Chríost Rí in Ennis that provides kayaking programs on the River Fergus. Supported by Clare Sports Partnership, it has involved dozens of local children and parents – including members of the Traveller community – in canoeing courses and even special “Kayak4Dads” and “Kayak4Mums” sessions. This initiative has transformed attitudes toward the river and made paddlesports more inclusive.
  • Twelve O’Clock Hills Trails: A network of community-designed walking trails west of Ennis, managed by the local development group. The CLDC Rural Recreation programme supports this scheme, which links farm lands into waymarked loops. These volunteer-led paths showcase what can be achieved when community groups partner with agencies (the CLDC site notes its support for the 12 O’Clock Hills Development Group in trail upkeep).

These examples demonstrate the Plan’s core message: when communities, organisations and public bodies collaborate, great things happen outdoors.

The Plan itself is structured around three pillars – “Collaborate, Lead, Respect & Inform”, “Encourage the Experience”, and “Manage Capacity” – which together emphasise partnership, broadening access, and sustainable stewardship. In practice this means working together to maintain infrastructure and plan responsibly (pillar one); creating more opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy Clare’s outdoors (pillar two); and ensuring growing participation is balanced with support for landscapes and communities (pillar three). In short, the Plan provides a roadmap for the future – building on the great work already underway and guiding more exemplary projects in the years ahead.

Looking ahead: The Clare Plan launch comes as Minister Dara Calleary has just opened the new 2026-27 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, with €20 million available for trails, greenways and water-based projects. Importantly, communities are advised to align new proposals with their emerging county recreation plans – including Clare’s – as ORIS applicants must “align with emerging project recommendations from new county outdoor recreation plans”. This national funding boost, coupled with the Clare Plan’s collaborative framework, should help turn local ideas into reality.

Ultimately, the Clare Outdoor Recreation Plan belongs to everyone who helped create it. Thanks are due to the County Outdoor Recreation Committee, partner organisations, and all community members and landowners who contributed their time and ideas. Their input will ensure Clare’s outdoors remain protected, accessible and vibrant for generations to come.