In the final episode of his Greenway Food Trails, Neven Maguire cycles the Waterford Greenway. He begins his journey in Dungarvan at the western end of the 46km walking and cycling track and makes his way to Waterford City. The programme will air tonight, Wednesday, February 8 at 8.30pm on RTÉ One.
The Greenway follows the route of what was originally the Waterford to Mallow Railway Line with Co. Waterford’s Copper Coast, the Comeragh Mountains and the River Suir all part of the spectacular backdrop.
Almost halfway between Dungarvan and Waterford City is Kilmacthomas, where situated on the Greenway, is the former Kilmacthomas Workhouse built in 1851. Since then the building has had many uses but in 2017 Coach House Coffee opened here. Neven calls in to meet co-owner Stephen Lynch who tells him how the Greenway has helped the now thriving 100 seater restaurant.
Neven is joined by local historian and guide Garvan Cummins also known as “The Greenway Man’. Garvan also tells Neven about the Greenway and how in recent years he estimates it has been used by 300,000 to 500,000 visitors, and has brought a surge of new Irish visitors from Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal and Dublin.
Back In Kilmacthomas Neven cycles over the impressive viaduct which has spectacular views of the Comeragh Mountains in the distance. Also visible from the viaduct is Flahavan’s oat mill, which Neven last visited ten years ago. Neven meets Operations Manager Johnny Flahavan, one of the seventh generation of the family to manage the business, and learns how the flapjacks are made. When running at full capacity, Flahavan’s can produce up to 80,000 individual flapjacks per day.
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Neven’s Greenway Food Trails is produced and directed by David Hare of InProductionTV and sponsored by Bord Bia.