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Calls For Deep Water Investment in Connemara to Attract Cruise Ships

6th November 2017
Cllr Joe Folan at Rossaveal Harbour in Connemara, Co. Galway. The local councillor has called on the Government for a deep water berth to facilitate cruiseships to visit the region. Cllr Joe Folan at Rossaveal Harbour in Connemara, Co. Galway. The local councillor has called on the Government for a deep water berth to facilitate cruiseships to visit the region.

#IrishHarbours - From across the world tourists writes The Connacht Tribune could be flocking into Connemara by – if a proposal to carry out multi-million euro works at Rossaveal Harbour is adopted.

But funding, to the tune of around €80 million, would first need to be allocated to provide a deep sea port at Rossaveal so that it can accommodate cruise liners.

A committee has been in place for several years to try and progress this initiative – and while facilities at the harbour have improved considerably over the past ten or 15 years, it still cannot accommodate big ships.

The matter came before a meeting of Galway County Council during where Councillors heard that last summer alone saw up to 7,500 passengers arrived on cruise ships into Killybegs in Donegal which has the capacity to accommodate the liners.

The matter was raised by Cllr Joe Folan from Rosmuc as he called on the Government to provide a deep sea port so that bigger ships, such as cruise liners, could dock and bring even more tourists to the region.

The independent councillor explained that the deep sea harbour at Killybegs was now proving a success story and the same could be repeated at Rossaveal, which located on the far side of Inverin out of Galway city.

To read more on the story click here.

Published in Irish Harbours
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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