The broadcaster Gay Byrne was honoured in one of his favourite places today, west Donegal, where he spent a lot of time with his family.
A series of new walking trails have been named in memory of the late RTÉ presenter who loved to walk when he was in the county.
Cosáin Gay Byrne, The Gay Byrne Trails was officially opened this afternoon by Gay's wife, Kathleen Watkins who said it was a joy to have Gay honoured in this way.
She said she and Gay loved to go on walks when they were in An Clochán Liath and she had many happy memories of those times.
It was an emotional day for her and her family, she said, as Thursday next is Gay's birthday and he would have been 89.
He loved Donegal, she said, he walked every inch of it and couldn't get enough of it.
Pat Nora Gallagher, Chair of the Mary from Dungloe International Festival said the trails follow the footsteps of the many wonderful walks Gay and Kathleen had with many friends in the county.
The trails stretch from the Gweebarra estuary to An Clochán Liath. There is a coastal route of 39km and a shorter route of 14km.
Cosáin Gay Byrne is phase one of three planned walking routes in west Donegal with the final stretch to be called the Brian Friel trail.
Mr Gallagher said Gay and Brian Friel were good friends and it is only right that the two walking routes named after them should connect.
Donegal singer Moya Brennan said the trails are a wonderful way to see Donegal and the way the planet is going, she said, people want to get out walking and the marked trails are a wonderful encouragement to do that.
Gay spent many summers in Donegal, she said, and it was just a lovely way to remember him.
Crona Byrne said walking was such an important part of her father's life and the weather never mattered to him. She said he would just tell us to get up, get out and get on with it.
Today she encouraged other people to do the same - "get up, get out and do the Gaybo trail!", she said.
