Ireland’s Midlands Draw Travellers Into a New Regenerative Tourism Era

Written By: Abhirup Gan

Abhirup Gan

I'm Abhirup Gan, a Mass Communication graduate and digital marketing professional. Driven by a passion for storytelling, I create insightful, research-led content that explores tourism trends, destination stories, and hospitality developments with depth and clarity. Through my writing, I hope to inspire readers to discover not only where to travel, but the stories, cultures, and experiences that make every journey meaningful.

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September 10, 2026 18:42 GMT+5:30

New Offaly, Roscommon and Laois locations are being added to Ireland’s new tourism map because the former industrial sites are being changed into walking and cycling routes, natural spaces and new tourism ventures. This regeneration is taking place via the European Union Just Transition Fund and Fáilte Ireland schemes aimed at turning locations that have suffered from the fall-off in the peat production industry into tourist destinations. It is a big investment for tourism. As Fáilte Ireland reveals, €68 million has been spent on regenerative tourism in the Midlands area, which includes €38 million for sustainable tourism development and €30 million for trail development on former industrial peatland sites. From a visitor perspective, the regeneration is best explained on location.

Former Peatlands Become Walking and Cycling Country

The Trail Network Development Scheme is at the centre of the transformation.

Fáilte Ireland says the programme is developing a connected network of universally accessible walking and cycling trails across the EU Just Transition Territory. Planned routes include sections around Longford, Roscommon, Westmeath, Offaly and Tipperary, linking existing trails with towns, villages and outdoor visitor experiences.

In Offaly, trail development includes connections between the Grand Canal Greenway and Mount Lucas, while other sections focus on the landscapes around Clonmacnoise, Ballinahown and Lough Boora.

That creates a very different reason to travel into the Midlands. Instead of passing through on the way to Ireland’s better-known western and southern destinations, visitors can make the interior itself the focus of a walking or cycling trip.

Lough Boora Adds a Distinctive Outdoor Experience

Lough Boora is one of the best-known examples of former industrial peatland being used for recreation.

The landscape has developed into a destination for walking, cycling, fishing, wildlife observation and outdoor exploration. Former extraction areas have gradually taken on new ecological and recreational functions, giving visitors a landscape that looks very different from the traditional image of Ireland’s green countryside.

The experience also works well for slower travel. Cyclists can follow routes through open landscapes, while walkers can explore sections at a more relaxed pace.

For international visitors, destinations such as Lough Boora provide an opportunity to see a less familiar Ireland without giving up the country’s strongest outdoor characteristics.

The Grand Canal Greenway Connects the Midlands

The Grand Canal Greenway provides another important piece of the regional tourism network.

The route follows the historic Grand Canal through the Irish Midlands, creating an off-road corridor for walking and cycling. Its connections with towns and villages allow visitors to combine outdoor activity with food, accommodation and local services.

The Greenway is particularly suited to multi-day cycling journeys because travellers can divide the route into manageable sections and stop in communities along the way.

For visitors who normally associate Ireland with coastal cliffs and Atlantic landscapes, the canal provides a completely different view of the country. Waterways, bridges, locks, farmland and small settlements replace the dramatic coastal scenery, while the slower pace makes the journey itself part of the holiday.

River Shannon Brings Water-Based Tourism Inland

The River Shannon adds another layer to the Midlands tourism offer.

Ireland’s longest river passes through a large section of the interior, connecting towns, lakes and countryside. Boating, kayaking, fishing and riverside recreation provide alternatives to conventional sightseeing.

The combination of waterways and new trails makes it possible to create mixed itineraries. A visitor can cycle along the Grand Canal, continue toward the Shannon and then spend time exploring wetlands, villages or river communities.

These experiences also help spread tourism spending across smaller destinations rather than concentrating it in Ireland’s best-known cities.

Regenerative Tourism Targets Regional Growth

The Midlands investment is part of a wider change in Irish tourism policy.

Fáilte Ireland’s 2026–2029 corporate strategy places greater emphasis on sustainable growth, regional balance and encouraging visitors to travel beyond mature destinations. The strategy specifically includes an Outdoor Ireland programme and sets a target for growth in visitors to less-developed regions.

The approach also reflects Ireland’s national tourism policy, which identifies the Midlands as an area where the transition away from peat extraction has created economic, social and environmental changes. The government’s tourism policy states that the EU Just Transition Fund includes €38 million for regenerative tourism business supports and €30 million for a Midlands tourism trails network.

Tourism is therefore being used alongside environmental restoration and regional economic development.

Offbeat Ireland Becomes Easier to Explore

For travellers, the Midlands offer something increasingly valuable: space.

The region does not have the same visitor density associated with Dublin, Galway or some of Ireland’s most famous coastal attractions. Its appeal comes from waterways, peatlands, forests, villages and long-distance routes where the journey can be spread over several days.

That makes the area suitable for visitors looking for walking and cycling holidays, nature experiences and slower itineraries.

The emerging trail network also means that travellers do not necessarily need to build their journey around a single attraction. They can follow a route, stop in smaller communities, visit local food producers and continue into another landscape.

Official Link : https://www.travelextra.ie/failte-ireland-funds-17-regenerative-tourism-projects

Ireland’s Tourism Map Moves Further Inland

This new regeneration scheme for the Midlands is also affecting the use of Offaly, Roscommon and Laois in Irish tourism. Once industrialised peat bogs have been integrated into a tourist network, while the Grand Canal and the Shannon act as natural corridors across the heartland. New trails link these areas to the towns and villages, and to businesses catering to tourists. The latest strategy for Irish tourism also makes sure that there will be more balance between regions and seasons in the future, with sustainability and positive tourism towards nature being the focus. In terms of Autumn tourism, the outcome is a peaceful journey through Ireland which links walking, cycling, waterways, peatlands and communities outside the normal tourist trail.