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09/05/19 - Opportunity to build on €400K investment in Malin Head

 

Malin Head Phase II launch 1

Launching the €400K Phase II works at Malin Head on Wednesday

are Cllr. Nicholas Crossan, Seamus Neely, Chief Executive

Donegal County Council, Cllr. Bernard McGuinness, Joan Crawford,

Failte Ireland, Cllr. Martin Farren, Cathaoirleach of Inishowen MD,

Liam Ward, Donegal County Council, Cllr. Martin McDermott

and Cllr. Albert Doherty

 

 

Opportunity to build on €400K investment in Malin Head

 

The official launch of the €400K Phase II works at Malin Head took place on Wednesday afternoon by Cathaoirleach of Inishowen Municipal District Cllr. Martin Farren who described the investment to date as an essential step in the creation of a top class visitor experience at Ireland’s most northerly point which is now considered as a signature discovery point or a ‘must visit’ site on the world renowned Wild Atlantic Way. 

 

 

Visitor numbers to Ireland’s most northerly point has grown substantially in the last number of years with an estimated 172,000 visitors in 2018 thanks to a number of factors including its position as either the starting or finishing point on the Wild Atlantic Way, the filming of Star Wars and the hosting of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at nearby Ballyliffin Golf Club in 2018.

 

 

To facilitate this rise in visitor numbers to this iconic site Donegal County Council has been working closely with a number of key stakeholders including Failte Ireland to put in place essential services to help capitalise on the visitor experience.  These works included road widening to accommodate passing bays, drainage improvements and surfacing of 600m of road to the existing lower car park at Malin Head; road widening adjacent to the lower carpark to accommodate bus parking; extending existing car park facilities to incorporate additional car parking spaces and construction of toilet facilities adjacent the lower carpark, including installation of a wastewater holding tank.

 

 

This phase of the development also included the provision of services and utilities including water, electricity and telecoms to the site and these services will also be vital for future development at Malin Head.

 

 Malin Head Phase II Launch 2

Cllr. Martin Farren, Cathaoirleach of Inishowen MD launching the

€400K Phase II works at Malin Head on Wednesday.  Photo includes

Cllr. Nicholas Crossan, Cllr. Bernard McGuinness, Cllr. Martin

McDermott, Cllr. Albert Doherty, Seamus Neely, Chief Executive

Donegal County Council, Joan Crawford, Failte Ireland, Liam Ward,

Donegal County Council, Joe Diver, Malin Head Community

Development Association, Geraldine Diver, Malin Head Community

Development Association, Catriona Doherty, Malin Head Community

Development Association, Jim Mullin, Malin Head Community

Development Association, Aideen Doherty, Donegal County Council,

Fiona Doherty, Donegal County Council, Shaun Murphy, Donegal

County Council and James Kelly, Donegal County Council and

representatives from Keys and Monaghan Architects and Cooney Architects.

 

 

“The completion of this phase of works, which represents a substantial investment by both Failte Ireland and Donegal County Council, is an important milestone in our journey at Malin Head” said Cllr. Farren speaking at the official launch on Wednesday afternoon. 

 

 

“We are now embarking on the next part of this journey with the preparation of a Visitor Management Plan for Malin Head that will set out a framework on how to build on the unique heritage and culture of the area whilst leveraging its position as the most northerly signature discovery point on the Wild Atlantic Way and I am delighted to see the strong collaborative approach between all stakeholders including the local community in developing this plan.”

 

 

Speaking about Fáilte Ireland’s support of the plan, Fiona Monaghan, Head of Activities at Fáilte Ireland, said “Fáilte Ireland is delighted to see the completion of Phase II of the Malin Head Visitor Management Plan. The plan will guide the future development of a motivating and sustainably managed visitor experience at Malin Head Signature Discovery Point and the wider destination and the next phase, public consultation, is essential if we are going to produce a plan that works for both the visitor and the local community.”

 

 

Seamus Neely Chief Executive of Donegal County Council described this project as a product of partnership and highlighted the importance of managing the success of Malin Head as a visitor destination in a sustainable way saying “the real challenge is how we grow on the success to date without damaging what makes this place special.  This is a complex challenge but I believe that it is achievable and that is why we are embarking on the Malin Head Visitor Management Plan. We look forward to hearing from all interested parties and especially the local community about what their ideas and plans are and how they can be best achieved going forward.”

 

Malin Head Phase II Launch 3

Pictured at the new visitor toilet facilities at Malin Head marking

the completion of €400K Phase II works at Malin Head on

Wednesday are Cllr. Martin Farren, Cathaoirleach of Inishowen

MD with Cllr. Nicholas Crossan, Cllr. Bernard McGuinness, Cllr.

Martin McDermott, Cllr. Albert Doherty, Seamus Neely, Chief

Executive Donegal County Council, Joan Crawford, Failte Ireland,

Liam Ward, Donegal County Council, Joe Diver, Malin Head Community

Development Association, Geraldine Diver, Malin Head Community

Development Association, Catriona Doherty, Malin Head Community

Development Association, Jim Mullin, Malin Head Community

Development Association, Aideen Doherty, Donegal County Council,

Fiona Doherty, Donegal County Council, Shaun Murphy, Donegal

County Council and James Kelly, Donegal County Council and

representatives from Keys and Monaghan Architects and Cooney Architects.

 

 

Public consultation workshops for the Malin Head Visitor Management Plan are set to take place this week and next from 6.45pm – 9pm each evening as follows: 

 

Wednesday 8th May: St. Mary’s Community Hall, Carnmalin, Malin Head

Thursday 9th May: McGrory’s Hotel, Culdaff 

Tuesday 14th May: The Station Room, Public Services Centre, Carndonagh 

Wednesday 15th May: St Patrick’s Parochial Hall, Malin Village

 

Booking is recommended and you can book your place by email to [email protected] or book online at http://bit.ly/MalinHeadWorkshops.

 

 

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