Ronan's Way: The Glens of Antrim walking route in memory of a farmer

Ronan McAuley's family walk Ronan's Way

A Glens of Antrim family has established a walking route in memory of a young farmer who died suddenly.

Ronan McAuley helped his father on their farm in Glendun, County Antrim, until his death in 2016 aged 38.

He died of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, a cardiac condition.

Before his death, Ronan and his father John, had been developing a network of farm tracks to improve access to their steep-sided land.

Ronan McAuley died in 2016 aged 38

"When we were doing this, my son, Ronan thought wouldn't it be a great idea if local people could come and walk on it and enjoy the scenery," said John.

John had been talking to Ronan a short time before he died as he lambed a ewe on the farm.

The family decided to develop the trail network in his memory and call it Ronan's Way.

John works on Ronan's Way

Their story will feature in a new BBC series, The Chronicles of the Glens, to be broadcast in January 2021.

It features the lives of a series of characters who live and work in the nine glens of Antrim.

Ronan was married and the father of a young daughter, Natalie.

'That's Ronan'

His wife Paula said the trail had helped her after his death.

"Nobody really got to explore Glendun, it was kind of the glen that got left behind," she said.

"Ronan's thing was always about people going out and enjoying the land that he called home.

"The walk to me is quiet, it's peace and you can gather your thoughts, and to me, that's Ronan," she added.

There are a number of different route options on the walk which can accessed from the Glendun Road near Cushendun.

More details can be found on the Walk NI website.