Eco-Adventure Hub opens in Ballymahon, Longford
For 25 years, Brendan Flanagan navigated the world of financial services, but his heart was always on the trail. Now, following a career shift powered by the EU Just Transition Fund, he’s bringing his passion to life with Ethical Tours, a sustainable and inclusive e-bike adventure company that’s rapidly putting Ballymahon on the map for eco-tourism.
Flanagan’s vision is simple yet profound: “to create inclusive, environmentally responsible tourism that benefits people and planet alike.” He aims to empower visitors to connect deeply with Ireland’s natural beauty, heritage, and communities “while doing the least harm to our environment.”
The Epicentre of Adventure: Dublin, the Shannon, and 100km of Trail
Ethical Tours isn’t just about renting bikes; it’s about unlocking the unique potential of the Longford landscape.
“If you come out of Jolly Boys Pizzas in the centre of Ballymahon you can take a right to Dublin or a left to the Shannon,” Flanagan explains. “Not only that, but you’ll have all of the bog trails in between as well; that means 100 km of off-road cycling.”
This central location at his brother Leo Flanagan’s renowned pizzeria provides the perfect base for adventure. Ethical Tours offers access to the Royal Canal Greenway, the Newcastle Woodland Trail, and the Corlea Bog Amenity Walk.
”This is what makes the area in Longford so unique. Eventually we’re going to have access to hundreds of kilometres of trails that are off-road,” Flanagan predicts.
From Banking to Bikes: A Just Transition Success Story
Flanagan’s journey from a desk job to the ‘great outdoors’ is a powerful example of the transition happening across the Midlands. After taking redundancy from Ulster Bank, he leveraged his business background to pursue his true calling—and secured critical seed funding in the process.
”I was one of the first to get Just Transition funding,” he notes. This fund, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, is designed to support regions impacted by the move away from peat production by diversifying local economies through sustainable projects like eco-tourism.
His transition was strategically supported by his existing family ties. By stepping in to help restructure his brother Leo’s successful Jolly Boys Pizza business, he secured a vital hub for his operations. The pizza premises is used for bike drop-offs and pickups, establishing an immediate, central presence in town, and benefiting from the pizzeria’s existing community ties.
Inclusive Adventure and Green Ambition
Central to the Ethical Tours mission is inclusivity. Flanagan specifically chose a fleet of high-quality electric bikes from suppliers across Europe to cater to all abilities, including those with physical limitations.
”I had an American couple a few weeks back and one of them had hip problems, but they were so comfortable cycling on the electric bikes for a couple of hours and felt confident,” he recalls. This commitment to accessibility is what sets the business apart. The shift from sedentary financial work to an active, outdoor profession was also a personal priority for Flanagan: “I love getting out into the open air and around home a bit more, I’d had enough of it.”
The venture’s dedication to sustainability is also absolute. Flanagan is currently constructing a new premises at his home, where his entire fleet of bikes will be stored and charged using power generated by 32 solar panels.
His next moves involve significant expansion, including:
- Developing mountain bike trails in the forest.
- Integrating GPS/Garmin devices on his bikes for self-guided tours.
- Tapping into the corporate market with cross-country packages—imagine cycling from Dublin or Maynooth down the Royal Canal, staying overnight, and taking a bus back, with Ethical Tours handling the logistics.
- His ultimate goal is ambitious but achievable: to become a zero-carbon output business from Day 1.
By combining family enterprise, smart business strategy, and key EU investment, Brendan Flanagan and Ethical Tours are not just renting bikes—they’re building a sustainable, community-focused future for Longford.
To book an inclusive e-bike adventure or learn more about Ethical Tours’ sustainable mission, visit them in Ballymahon or online.
