“We were in a bad place back in 2009,” Mr. Philbin said. “The recession had just begun, and this area was hurt worse than most. Most people knew it was for the well-being of the entire area, and there would be jobs and other benefits.”

There were still many obstacles. Landowners had to be assured that they would not face lawsuits by anyone injured on the trail, and that they would retain full ownership of their land and be able to withdraw permission to cross it at any time. In some places, diversions had to be made where the old line passed too close to newly built houses, or where landowners could not be persuaded to come on board.

But the response to the Greenway’s opening has been highly positive.

The local council reckons that the trail had already generated enough new tourism to make up for most of its cost of 7.5 million euros, or about $9.3 million, only a year after it officially opened in 2010. At least 200 new jobs were created in pubs, hotels, bicycle rental and other tourism-related businesses, the council said, and over a quarter-million people now use the trail each year.