Great Lighthouses of Ireland open their doors to toursim
A ‘new experience to take your breath away’ – that’s the promise from Great Lighthouses of Ireland – an EU-funded tourism initiative featuring twelve lighthouses around the entire coastline of Ireland.
Loop Head, Co Clare. Photos Stephen Emerson
Launching the project, Pascal Donohoe, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, said Ireland's maritime heritage was a great source of pride:
“The Great Lighthouses of Ireland initiative is a unique and exciting collaboration between many people and organisations, each with different and specialist skills who have come together to create something exceptional.”
‘Islanders’ – a forgotten way of life
From Arranmore in Co Donegal, to Whiddy Island in Cork via Inisturk in Co Mayo, a new four-part series produced by TV3 documents a way of life that is rapidly disappearing.
Arranmore, Co Donegal. Empty and derelict homes underpin a declining population due to an erosion of the inshore fishing industry
The series begins on Inisturk (14/04 TV3, 9pm), 14km off the Mayo coast and home to just 55 residents, including Bríd Heanue and her son Nathan. Bríd's older son Chris lives and schools on the mainland. With no secondary school on Inisturk, Nathan will be leaving the island in September. It is a day Bríd dreads:
"That's a very emotional subject with me...All of our family are going to find that hard."
‘Ireland’s Ancient East’ initiative spans 5,000 year history
An initiative to promote Ireland's history and culture spanning millennia, aims to bring international attention to the east and south coasts.
Ireland's Ancient East will offer visitors a 'personal experience' of 5,000 years of history that attracted settlers down the ages. Stretching from Newgrange and the Boyne Valley in the northeast, through the midlands via Kilkenny's medieval mile to Waterford's Viking Quarter and Cork's cultural attractions on the south coast, this latest initiative from Ireland's tourism agency aims to match and complement the Wild Atlantic Way brand in scale and ambition.
Sea Stallion of Glendalough, a replica of a Viking longboat built in Dublin in 1042, in Dublin Bay during a visit to the city in 2008 as part of a 'Viking Ireland' exhibition. Photo Gillian Mills
Research conducted by Fáilte Ireland suggests Ireland's Ancient East has the potential to attract an additional 600,000 overseas visitors (20% growth) to the region and increase visitor revenue by almost 25% to €950m by 2020.
Funding crisis for non-Gaeltacht Islands
A spokesman for the non-Gaeltacht Community Development Projects (CDPs) has lashed out at a government decision to cut the budget for the non-Gaeltacht islands by 24% saying it brings into question whether the Island Community Development Offices can continue to operate.
Islanders question government commitment to sustaining non-Gaeltacht islands Photo Helen Riddell
In a letter to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Simon Murray of Inisbofin describes this latest cut, due from April 1, as “savage”. This 24% cut comes on the back of a 9.5% cut in 2013 and a 3% cut in 2011 which adds up to a staggering 36.5% cut to the budget for the non-Gaeltacht islands during the lifetime of this government,” Murray says.
Creedon’s Wild Atlantic Way needs your help
The Wild Atlantic Way, the magnificent West Coast of Ireland - is it the ‘land of your heart’s desire,, as described by William Butler Yeats?
John Creedon is about to find out in his new three-part series for RTE One, Creedon’s Wild Atlantic Way.
“My car is always happiest when it’s pointed west,” claims John and it’s just as well because he’s about to travel this epic 2,500 kilometre trip from Kinsale in Cork right up to Donegal’s Malin Head.
But he needs the public's help.
Ireland’s environment minister is urged to reverse potential death knell of offshore islands
Islanders on nine non – Gaeltacht islands set to be affected by the termination of core funding of their community development offices have received huge support from their colleagues across Europe. The European Small Islands Network (ESIN) is a network of national island organisations comprising 1,400 islands and 448,000 islanders.
Non-gaeltacht islands such as Inisbofin are demanding retention of their core funding. Photo Gillian Mills
A letter of support from the President of ESIN, Bengt Almkvist, and the national chairpersons from the ESIN member countries to Alan Kelly TD, Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government reads:
Urban beach at Dún Laoghaire gets green light
A €2.5m controversial plan to build an 'urban beach'and outdoor swimming pool at Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, have been granted planning permission.
Computer-generated view of the 'urban beach' in Dún Laoghaire
The project will be jointly funded by the county council and Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company and includes an artificial beach and café, as well as a floating swimming pool with heated treated seawater built on a converted river barge located along the East Pier.
TDS urged to particate in Coastwatch Survey 2014
Coastwatch Europe's international coordinator, Karin Dubsky, is asking elected representatives to participate in the annual Coastwatch survey "to better appreciate the values of our coastal rim and the issues faced by local communities", ahead of the awaited publication of the General Scheme of the Maritime Area Foreshore (Amendment) Bill.
Coastwatch and citlops training for local school group at the Tralee Wetland Centre with Dr Dave McCormick
Participants are invited to take one or more 500m long survey walks at low tide and to complete a short audit (type of shore, values; uses; stream entries, key wildlife and habitats; invasive alien species; litter and threats).
An Taisce extends photography competition deadline
The deadline date for entry into An Taisce's fifth annual Love your Coast photography competition has been extended to the end of August in response to a "very hectic flow of entries and to facilitate as many entries as possible," remarked Annabel Fitzgerald, Coastal Programmes Manager, An Taisce.
Love your Coast 2012. John Beasley's photo taken at Coumeenole on the Dingle Peninsula won first prize in the Coastal Landscape Category.
"This competition is a key element of the Clean Coasts programme. The entries over the past five years have been exceptional and serve as a reminder of what it is we are trying to protect and conserve in the Clean Coasts programme. These images illustrate the rich diversity of Ireland's spectacular coastline," she added.