Explore the green literary landscapes by electric bike

Listowel in Kerry and Newcastle West in Limerick share a rich literary heritage from playwright John B. Keane to poet Michael Hartnett and many more. Now, their geographical closeness and historic links are bolstered even further by a greenway amenity connecting both areas.

Following the former Limerick to Kerry railway line, the Kingdom of Kerry Greenways, which opened in October 2022, takes cyclists and walkers on two picturesque routes between Tralee and Fenit, and Listowel and Abbeyfeale. The latter moves through 16km of rolling hills and scenic farmland before connecting to the Limerick Greenway.

There’s an option to continue for almost 40km, passing through the market towns of Rathkeale and Newcastle West.

Landing in Listowel to start our group trip, I realise I have never actually spent any length of time in the area prior to this, because I was always on the way to somewhere else. That was a mistake because it’s certainly one of the prettiest towns to wander around with quirky shops, traditional shopfronts with amazing plasterwork motifs, and beautiful murals, all catching the eye and making the leisurely jaunt more interesting.

After a hearty home-cooked lunch in a bustling Lizzie’s Little Kitchen, the first stop is the Kerry Writers’ Museum right in the heart of The Square. There, bodhrán player and singing storyteller supreme, aka Vincent O’Brien, brings the five local writers featured to life in lore and song.

Like many other people, I have enjoyed the work of the popular playwright John B. Keane, whose statue looks over the town and whose son, Billy, still runs the pub that bears his name. He may be the best known of those featured in the museum but there is plenty of talent with the late poet Brendan Kennelly, Bryan McMahon, and George Fitzmaurice featured.

A name I had not heard of before, though, is Maurice Walsh, the writer of the short story, The Quiet Man, on which the famous John Ford film is based. Working in Scotland for much of his life, he was a prolific writer of 20 tomes and a best-seller to boot. Our entertaining guide told us he also sold over 2m books and was endorsed by J.M. Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan.

Lovely Listowel

After a quick stop at what has to be one of the cutest performance spaces in the land, St John’s Theatre and Arts Centre, located in a former church across the road, it was time to head back to our hotel.

What could be more appropriate afterwards than some sustaining dinner and refreshments in the Writer’s Bar in The Listowel Arms, a social hub of the town and full of quaint old-world elegance.

Later, there’s even time for a quick walk along the riverside to the rear of the hotel, a stone’s throw from the town’s famous racecourse. A local joked that “you couldn’t draw a leg in the town” for the week-long races in late September, a popular part of the social calendar here since the 19th century.

After some fresh air, our party headed up the town to check out some hostelries, Broderick’s and John B. Keane’s, where chat and conviviality were in plentiful supply.

The electric bike makes the journey very pleasant, giving the feeling of exercising and the benefits of being in nature without the unwelcome sore legs and body afterwards

Up bright and early on Saturday, the biking adventure began by meeting a representative from Like Bikes, who guides the group along from the trailhead car park through the park and the beautiful Garden of Europe, home to over 3,000 trees and shrubs.

Within minutes the town is behind us, and all is tranquil and still. Moving through beautiful countryside, the only sounds are from the birds and our chatter about points of interest along the way.

The electric bike makes the journey very pleasant, giving the feeling of exercising and the benefits of being in nature without the unwelcome sore legs and body afterwards.

It really takes the hard work out of it for those of us who could be a little fitter, even though the terrain is relatively flat and easy. The turbo setting gets you further faster, so it’s suitable for all ages and fitness levels and means you can see more, even on a relatively short spin.

Rural west Limerick

There is plenty of interest along the way with beautiful rolling countryside, former station houses, old bridges, a spectacular rail tunnel, and some nifty interpretative signs with audio descriptions to tell you about the history and landscape of the area, which really add to the experience.

Traversing through Tullig Wood, an important wildlife habitat on the Limerick side, was a particular highlight. It’s hard to beat that feeling of being cocooned in a canopy of trees with no one around and getting the fresh air into your lungs.

Despite the weather gods playing ball for several hours, they turned nasty at lunchtime, and the plan to cycle all the way to Newcastle West had to be rescheduled for another time. Luckily, we were near the natural halfway point at Barnagh Greenway Hub, and the welcoming Platform 22 Café came into view.

It’s easy to see why many believe the greenway has transformed this little-known area of rural west Limerick for the better. It’s a hive of activity with bike rental available on-site, a playground, The Painted Pot pottery experience, crazy golf, dog-friendly facilities, and delicious baked goods and a cuppa.

After drying off, it was time to make our way to the hotel and take advantage of a steaming bath in the luxurious Long Court Hotel in Newcastle West, also home to historic Desmond Castle.

The great outdoors can really whet the appetite, so it was not long before we made our way to the Chaser Bar Bistro. A very busy hotel, it was efficient, friendly, and fully staffed, serving locals and visitors alike.

A musical treat awaited us later in the ballroom of the hotel – an energetic and memorable performance by trad/folk powerhouses Kíla. If this band cannot get you on your feet, no one will.

The concert, and an illuminating talk by former state pathologist, Marie Cassidy, now a best-selling author, the following morning, were both part of the Éigse Michael Hartnett. It’s an annual literary and arts festival to honour poet Michael Hartnett in Newcastle West. What a way to round off a memorable weekend full of literary and sightseeing highlights.

See discoverkerry.com, listowel.ie, limerickgreenway.ie and likebikes.ie