Estuary islands hold key to tourism jobs initiative

THE marketing and promotion of tourism trips to 16 islands on the Shannon Estuary has been proposed as a job creation initiative by the new Kilrush Electoral Area chairman, Councillor Oliver Garry.
Councillor Garry, who was unanimously elected at the new chairman at the annual general meeting last week, told councillors the natural unspoilt beauty and historical buildings on the islands, which were still intact, should be used to attract visitors from Ireland and across the world.
The Kildysart councillor suggested Clare County Council could act at the lead agency promoting the islands with other relevant semi-state authorities such as Shannon Development.
He pointed out the islands were the very same now as they were when they were inhabited, there was still no electricity, yet buildings such as schoolhouses and houses remained intact.
He also suggested councillors should embark on an organised trip to Scattery Island to familiarise themselves with what it had to offer.
Later in the meeting, it emerged that Clare County Council will be launching its Heritage Plan on Scattery Island next month.
Councillor Garry stressed councillors to think “outside the box” and try and come up with new job creation ideas for new enterprises in West Clare.
Commenting on the West Clare Task Force, which includes county councillors from the Kilrush Electoral Area, Councillor Garry said it had produced a lot good ideas to generate employment.
“We are in difficult economic times. It is very hard for everyone to be an entrepreneur. Very few people are cut out to be an entrepreneur. Most people want to work for other people.
“We must try and create jobs with Clare County Council acting as the lead agency. We have to encourage and facilitate job creation in West Clare to get more people back to work,” he said.
He noted the reopening of the Loop Head Lighthouse following a proposal from Councillor Gabriel Keating was a good example of what could be achieved when the county council worked in co-operation with other interested parties.
Looking down at the bell on the table, he recounted a story when he was an altar server at the local church. The 10-year-old rang the bell four times during the consecration during a mass when he was supposed to ring it only once.
After the mass, the priest wasn’t impressed and gave him a clip of the ear, which sent him flying across the floor of the sacristy.
This is Councillor Garry’s second time to be elected as chairman since 2004.
Paying tribute to outgoing chairman, Councillor P J Kelly “on a job well done”, Councillor Garry said his colleague kept everyone fully focused and motivated when a plethora of job creation proposals were being discussed at meetings.
Praising the leadership shown by outgoing Mayor of Clare, Councillor Curtin, the new chairman pledged to work in partnership will all his colleagues to ensure job creation initiatives came to fruition. Councillor Pat Keane noted the new chairman had laid out a lot of work for the council over the next year but he had no doubt he would be successful implementing his priorities.
The Kilkee councillor stressed it was important that everyone remained focused on implementing recommendations of the Task Force.
“I think it is time we went back to basics and concentrate on exploiting our own natural resources. It is a good idea to visit Scattery Island to see what we can do to develop tourism,” he said.
Director of services, Nora Kaye pledged to work with the new chairman to implement what he had set out in his agenda.
Outgoing chairman, Councillor Kelly lauded the vision of Councillor Keating for proposing the development of the Loop Head Lighthouse, which had created seven jobs despite being only two years in the council.
Councillor Kelly claimed there was a greater shortage of good ideas than money when it came to setting up new enterprises in the country.
He stressed the best approach for job creation in Clare was to concentrate on a small number of good ideas such as Loop Head Lighthouse instead of wasting time on “non runners”.