Great Lighthouses of Ireland gathering at Loop Head, County Clare

Loop Head Lighthouse Experience and the wider peninsula is the key focus of the annual Great Lighthouses of Ireland networking event, which is being hosted this year by Clare County Council. 

Established by Irish Lights, over eight years ago, Great Lighthouses of Ireland is a significant all-island tourism partnership, currently representing 16 entities, including local authorities, community groups and government agencies.

Speaking at the launch of the event, Irish Lights Chief Executive Yvonne Shields O’Connor, said: “While Irish Lights’ core remit is to protect lives, property, trade and the environment at sea, we are in a privileged position as we fulfil our role as guardians of lighthouses around the coast of Ireland, north and south. We are passionate about supporting these heritage locations to be opened to the public so that visitors can experience the rich heritage and history that stems not only from the lighthouses, but also from the communities around them.”

“Since 2015, the Great Lighthouses of Ireland partnership has grown from strength to strength, offering a variety of 17 experiences with more than 155,000 visitors each year visiting or staying at a lighthouse,” explained Ms Shields. “This great success is down to the combined effort of a dedicated community of people at local and national level who have worked together to develop a unique visitor experience at each site, which is true to the identity of their own local community.”

She added: “I would like to extend my thanks for Clare County Council and the Loop Head community who have supported this partnership from the outset, and I wish them continued success with their future plans for the Loop Head Visitor Experience.”

The visit takes place in the context of the recently submitted application to An Bord Pleanála for the development of new visitor experience facilities at Loop Head Lighthouse Experience, which include new visitor centre facilities, a Looped Walking Trail network, and the construction of a new visitors’ carpark. The facility also has recently undergone upgrades to its visitor centre and Keeper’s Cottages courtesy of funding from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.

Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Tony O’Brien, welcomed the visiting delegation on Sunday’s familiarisation trip to Scattery Island and gave recognition to the “opportunity to spend time on this island in order to promote the significance of this important attraction and its place of national significance in culture and history.”

Monday’s activities got underway with a ‘Connecting Communities’ workshop at Cross Digital Hub near Loop Head Lighthouse. Presentations were made by Pat Dowling (Chief Executive, Clare County Council), Yvonne Shields O’Connor (Chief Executive, Irish Lights), Bobby Kerr (Chair, Great Lighthouses of Ireland), Travel Writer Pól Ó Conghaile, and representatives of Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI, while an interactive session on developing the opportunity for lighthouses and local destinations through coastal tourism activities was delivered by Mark O’Connell of Repucon Consulting, all co-ordinated by Ethna Murphy of Great Lighthouses of Ireland. 

Participants were also treated to a site visit to Loop Head Lighthouse Visitor Experience, where they were joined by Cllr Gabriel Keating, Luke Aston (Loop Head Tourism), Colette Costello (Head of Operations, Loop Head Lighthouse and Vandeleur Walled Gardens), and Cllr Cillian Murphy, who spoke about responsible tourism development throughout the wider Loop Head Peninsula.

Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council, said: “This networking event provided key tourism agencies and local tourism representatives with the opportunity to share information and expertise that can support each business advance their objectives and help serve the communities and stakeholders they represent.

“We are delighted to have hosted this year’s Great Lighthouses of Ireland networking event and demonstrated how investment in our tourism infrastructure, such as Loop Head Lighthouse, is bearing fruit for surrounding communities of the peninsula in terms of profile and the local economy,” added Mr Dowling.

On Tuesday, the tourism delegation departed Kilkee for Ennistymon Digital Hub before visiting the Cliffs of Moher Experience where Leonard Cleary, Director of Service for Rural Development and West Clare, spoke about creating a vision and sustainable future in the context of the Cliffs of Moher Strategy 2040. A primary objective of the long-term strategy and site masterplan for Ireland’s most visited natural attraction is the delivery of economic benefit for the wider region.

“’Our Lighthouses – Beacons for our Destinations and Communities’ was the theme of this year’s Network event,” explained Leonard Cleary, Director of Rural Development and West Clare Municipal District, Clare County Council. “Those participating included people and organisations involved in tourism, business, destination, and community development. It is hoped that participants will learn from each other’s shared experiences and incorporate them into their operations and strategies going forward.”

This event was organised in conjunction with Kilkee Enterprise Development Company. Cllr Cillian Murphy noted that Kilkee Chamber of Commerce was delighted to welcome the Great Lighthouses of Ireland and their partners to Kilkee for their annual gathering and networking event.

He added: “Our social enterprise, Kilkee Enterprise Development Company, is working with Clare County Council, Kilrush Amenity Trust and Great Lighthouses of Ireland to put together an exciting programme that highlights our unique location, the challenges around sustainable management of the Loop Head Lighthouse and the Loop Head Peninsula, and the importance of community involvement in the responsible management and development of tourism for the area.”

During the visit, the winner of the #MyLighthouseTrail competition was announced. The competition invited visitors to any Great Lighthouses of Ireland lighthouses/visitor attractions during the summer to post their photo to Instagram. The overall winner picked up a specially curated, self-drive lighthouse road trip for a group of four.

Caption:

Pictured is the Great Lighthouses of Ireland delegation at Loop Head Peninsula in County Clare, joined by Irish Lights Chief Executive Yvonne Shields O’Connor and Clare County Council Chief Executive Pat Dowling.

  

Irish Lights and Great Lighthouses of Ireland Partners

Great Lighthouses of Ireland is a project funded and developed by the Commissioners of Irish Lights a maritime organisation delivering an essential safety service around the coast of Ireland, protecting the marine environment, and supporting the marine industry and coastal communities. In supporting Great Lighthouses of Ireland, Irish Lights are committed to the development of a sustainable economic model and the reinvention of individual lighthouses as visitor attractions and unique self-catering accommodation that contribute to local communities.

Today, Irish Lights operate over sixty lighthouses around the coast of Ireland, all of which continue to play a vital role in maritime safety. www.irishlights.ie 

Page last reviewed: 06/10/22

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