The former Sea Life aquarium in Bray, Co Wicklow is due to re-open this summer under a new name.
As The Bray People reports, Marine Life Aquarium Bray hopes to attract more than 125,000 visitors annually when it opens.
The newspaper reports that local business man Shane O’Farrell has joined forces with Dr Kevin Flannery of Mara Beo Dingle, who has over 30 years’ experience running various aquariums in Ireland.
It is expected that up to 20 jobs will be created across marine biology, guest services, operations, education, and hospitality.
Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore, who is her party’s marine spokesperson and represents the Wicklow constituency, has welcomed the move.
“I’m delighted to see an aquarium return to Bray Town - Kevin, Shane, and the Marine Life Aquarium Bray team are very experienced not just in running aquariums but also in marine conservation, and I’m sure they will prove an excellent resource for the local community,”she said.
“The closure of Sea Life two years ago was a significant blow to Bray, impacting not only tourism but also the vibrancy of the promenade - I myself also have a background in marine biology and was therefore really disappointed by the 2023 closure,”she said.
“I reached out to multiple other aquariums at the time to see if they would take over this site - needless to say, I am delighted to see that one of those groups I spoke to then has decided to take up operations in the building,”she said.
"I know that the new operators are keen for Marine Life Aquarium Bray to be an educational facility, which will be a fabulous fit for the east coast, given our rich history of maritime activity,”she said.
Read The Bray People here
