€4m islands revival plan

THE Shannon Estuary islands off Kildysart and Ballynacally are the subject of a feasibility study, which could culminate in a €4 million tourism and business investment.
The islands are Coney Island, Canon Island, Deer Island, Lowe Island, Horse Island, Shore Island and Inishtubbrid Island. None of the islands has been inhabited since 2004, while six are currently farmed.
The extensive report, which was Leader funded and produced by UK-based PHT Consultants, said the islands have “outstanding potential from both a sustainable tourism and agricultural perspective”.
The report, which was outlined at a public meeting in Kildysart last Friday night, envisages that the entire project is likely to cost €4m. Costs are described as “indicative”, with €1.8m of that figure to be invested in tourism and agricultural infrastructure. The report indicates it would cost a further €1.2m to restore properties on the islands, which would be let as holiday homes. It is envisaged the annual operational costs would come to €174,500.
Other capital costs would involve the development of slipways on the islands and mainland landing piers in Crovraghan and Rosscliff at a projected cost of €124,500. Slipway improvements need to be made on five of the seven islands, along with the provision of a visitor centre on Deer Island, a hostel, café and camping site on Coney Island and property development on all seven islands.
Other investments would incorporate the purchasing of a small pioner boat, a small ribraft boat and what is described as a larger drop-front boat.
Coney Island has been identified as offering the greatest tourism potential of the seven islands and might be developed as an island community experience.
“This potential is driven by the substantial access infrastructure, a number of surviving houses and farm buildings, a range of archaeological monuments and extensive agricultural activity,” the report stated.
There are five surviving monuments; a ring fort, a holy well, two churches and a graveyard on Coney Island, which was last inhabited in 1981. In 1901, 44 people lived on the island, while the population had reduced to 22 by the mid-1960s. Today, up to 400 cattle graze on the island.
Some elements of the project are described as short-term, while others include the development of a visitor centre on Coney Island, which could take between five and 10 years to complete.
The 25 land-owning families have formed a group, in tandem with a steering group, to try to develop and deliver an integrated strategy that would enable them to benefit from improved access to the islands and provide opportunities to generate economic activity.
The estuary and its islands are a unique maritime historic landscape, consisting of an archipelago of islands, mudflats, salt marshes and channels. Located in one of the most important wetland wildfowl habitats in Ireland, the estuary is a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area.
“To succeed, the whole scheme will need to be promoted as an exceptional project that gains the right political backing because it is well targeted, imaginative and seen as being applied to an area that lacks economic investment and can demonstrate positive targets and real results,” the report reads.
“We envisage a Fergus Islands and South Clare Coastal Initiative, which would be based on an integrated plan for the sub-region and would demonstrate synergy between mainland and the islands and focused on economic development, including tourism, agriculture and other related small businesses,” the report added.
“Our development recommendations are focused on low-key, low-visitor impact proposals, which have been devised to respect the environmental importance of the estuary and sense of place at each island location. It is also important to note that our recommended approach to island economic diversification has been to accept that in parallel with any new tourism activity, the development of agriculture on the islands will continue to be critical. Therefore, any future tourism development should endeavour to assist island agriculture and make for a more sustainable future,” the report suggested.
The broad vision is for the development of the islands as a living landscape.
“This holistic strategy brings together the communities, agriculture and tourism and can realise the outstanding potential of the islands for delivering a sustainable economic future, while recognising the constraints of physical access and environmental designations. It is a new approach to champion a healthy and sustainable future for the special island culture, landscape, wildlife and people. The local community can drive its own change for the future, one in which the living landscape supports, provides, inspires and renews,” the report stated.
The report concludes that the Fergus Islands Steering Group, which is chaired by Seamus Murphy, should, along with family land owners, accept the findings of the report and move towards implementing them.
“Funding should be sought to meet the cost of undertaking a detailed survey for each proposed mainland and island slipway site. This should address location, technical feasibility and engineering issues, together with delivery options and future ownership arrangements. The funding strategy should be agreed and relevant applications submitted,” the report said.
In producing the report, PHT Consultants worked in conjunction with Haley Sharpe, a design and consultancy practice working within the tourism and leisure industry.