Trail Class 3

Trail Grade Easy

O’Higgins/Barraghbeg Heritage Trail passes through farmland across an area rich in biodiversity and wildlife. It also runs alongside the Mill River, which is suitable for fishing.

Please be aware that the farmland may be wet in the winter months.

  • Distance: 4.3km
  • Parking available
Map of O’Higgins/Barraghbeg Heritage Trail showing a 4.3 km walking route, local wildlife (fox, mink, brown trout, cuckoo, swift), trees (ash), trailheads, playgrounds, and nearby towns in County Leitrim and County Longford.
A gravel path with muddy puddles stretches into the distance, bordered by wire fencing and bushes. On the left, a black wooden gate and a metal gate are open, leading into a fenced area.
A small, shallow brook flows gently through a lush forest. Sunlight filters through the dense, leafy tree canopy, and moss covers the tree trunks and rocks, creating a peaceful, green natural scene.

The walk is named after William O’Higgins, Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise from 1829 to 1853. He was born at Barraghbeg in 1794, and his life spanned some of the most turbulent times of our history, including the Irish famine. Bishop Higgins conceived the idea for, and laid the foundation stone for St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford Town in 1840.