THE Galway group The Saw Doctors put the N17 of Tuam firmly on the map and now people living along the N69 in Co Limerick and north Co Kerry are ofer lobbying to have it take its place among the tourist trails of Ireland.
The N69 runs from Limerick city along the scenic Shannon estuary through well kept villages and towns to Listowel and Tralee. Along the way there are interesting and historic landmarks which the newly formed N69 Tourism Development Group wants highlighted as visitor attractions.
The group, which has already met the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, has also approached local statutory bodies to invest in improving the road, a busy artery leading to Foynes, the State's fourth largest port, the giant Aughinish alumina plant and other industry on the shores of the estuary.
The route has significant points of interest, including monastic settlements at Glin and Askeaton, and Glin Castle, home of the 29th Knight of Glin. New tourism attractions include the Celtic Park and Gardens at Kilcornan and the Foynes Flying Boat Museum, which attracts over 20,000 visitors a year.
The Boyce Gardens are located at Mount Trenchard, Foynes, and there is a Curragh Chase caravan and camping park, formerly the home of the de Veres.
Tarbert, with its ferry linking north Kerry to Killimer in Co Clare, has a new tourist attraction in its renovated Bridewell centre.
Listowel has its annual writers' week, and Tralee has had several million pounds of tourism investment in recent years.
The development group consists of business interests along the N69, and its chairwoman, Ms Margaret O'Shaughnessy, said it had produced a series of postcards and a brochure which had been sent to overseas tour operators.
"We are hoping for positive results next year, and the road is now designated the coast road to Kerry with proper signposting", she added.
The development group and local bodies, along with the semi State agency Shannon Development, which is responsible for tourism promotion, are working together to highlight the attractiveness of the region.