Tag Archives: Cahercon

UNITED Metal Recycling (UMR) group have just completed the acquisition of Cahercon and have plans to develop a boutique hotel, language school and holiday home complex. On Wednesday spokesman Tony Donlan, who has close personal ties to Clare, said that it could be in operation as early as the summer of 2024, and 70-100 jobs could be created. He also said that the redeveloped property will not be used for the provision of emergency accommodation, while he stressed that he wishes to provide employment to local people. Mr Donlan said that the company has expertise in taking on derelict or out of use buildings, restoring them and allowing for new economic activity. “We have roughly two and a half million square feet of property nationwide. We’ve been in the scrap metal business for the last 40 years. The Hegarty family and the Donlan family amalgamated a number of years ago, put the two businesses together and drove on from there. …

THE proposed development of training facilities at Cahercon proved not to be economically viable, the Dáil heard recently and the matter was again raised by Councillor PJ Kelly at a meeting of Clare County Council.  He requested a report outlining the employment related projects now being pursued in the Shannon Estuary. The report subsequently received from Director of Service Liam Conneally said, “There are very real opportunities for both Moneypoint and Cahercon and all of Clare to play a key leading role in the establishment of a hub for offshore wind energy together with the route to market and supply chain associated with the Offshore Renewable Energy industry. “In this regard Clare County Council have been actively supporting and liaising with the key Offshore Renewable Energy companies seeking to build Offshore Floating Wind farms off the Clare Coast. “These companies will utilise the Shannon Estuary, for manufacturing, assembly, servicing, and associated supply chain requirements of the large-scale turbines and critically …

THERE was a sense of hope and excitement in Kildysart this week, with news that €1.8 million has been allocated for the development of maritime and cruise liner-related training facilities at the disused school and convent in Cahercon. It is expected that a facility will be developed offering training in all sorts of activities related to marine industries, from piloting cruise liners to catering to mechanics for ships. Ultimately, it’s expected that private sector interests will develop the facility in the next couple of years, while a statement from Clare Deputy Pat Breen this week said that the National Maritime College of Ireland, which is based in Cork, will be central to providing the training. When it finally does open, it will bring a certain amount of new jobs and, presumably, a significant number of trainees and students to the nearby village. Such a development will be a major boost for Kildysart, the likes of which  it has not enjoyed …

ALMOST €5 million has been allocated to four projects that will have a significant effect on job creation and social development initiatives in Clare over the coming years, according to Fine Gael TD Joe Carey. Deputy Carey, who is Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development, said he was delighted that Clare had secured the biggest share of the €29 million that was made available to 21 projects under the Government’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund. €1,759,226 has been allocated for the development of the Clare Maritime Economic Zone at Cahercon on the Shannon Estuary to re-purpose an existing site to provide maritime and cruise liner related training as well as serving as a testing ground for renewable technologies. Stating that the development of the Clare Maritime Economic Zone would tap in to the county’s tradition of marine-related enterprise, Deputy Carey said that it would include the development of classrooms and training facilities for the cruise liner industry, …

COUNCILLOR Ian Lynch has hit out at a lack of investment in Clare and a failure to make proper use of the Shannon Estuary. In a letter to Deputy Pat Breen, Councillor Lynch stated, “I see a recent announcement that the Government is seeking preclearance for freight from the port of Limerick, making the port of Foynes a shipping hub for Europe. “While the announcement is a welcome one for the region, it again shows the Government’s lack of commitment to County Clare and long-term foresight to maximise the Shannon Estuary’s potential. It’s hard to imagine why the Government would limit such a positive prospect to a port that is restricted for vessel turnaround and draft. This is even harder to imagine when the Shannon Foynes Port Authority controls the shipping to the second-deepest water port in Europe at Moneypoint but yet it remains undeveloped.” He feels the estuary is West Clare’s best hope of economic recovery. “The Shannon Estuary …

Clare County Council says the zoning of more than 345 hectares of land along the Shannon Estuary will give ‘greater investor confidence’ for anyone considering large-scale marine related development proposals. Earlier this week the council’s elected members unanimously backed the move to incorporate the zoned lands into the Clare County Development Plan 2011-17 along with the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan (SIFP) for the Shannon Estuary, a major strategic plan for the future development and management of marine-related industry and tourism along Ireland’s largest estuary. The newly zoned lands relate to Strategic Development Locations (SDL) at Cahercon and Moneypoint where existing pier facilities and deep estuarial water provide potential for maritime industry investment. Clare County Council says it would welcome any opportunity to discuss suitable development proposals for the locations. A new working group has also been established to promote and market the sites and wider Estuary as a key investment location. Led by Clare County Council, the group also comprises …