Potential for tourism at Loop Head

LOOP Head lighthouse has a lot of potential for development as a tourist attraction, this week’s meeting of Kilrush electoral area councillors heard.

A presentation was made to the council by Eoghan Lehane of Irish Lights, who explained that lighthouses at Mizen and Hook heads have attracted visitors and he expressed the view that something similar could happen at Loop Head.
He said that the fact that lighthouses are now automated meant that Irish Lights has land that it doesn’t use.
“Since all light houses are automated and with the advances in technology, we have a lot of property that is surplus to our requirements.”
Mr Lehane said that Irish Lights are happy to look at alternative uses for the property and said that Mizen and Hook heads are now “two sites with very successful visitor centres”.
He said that Irish Lights leases the lighthouse at Hook Head to a group that makes it available to visitors and that it is a popular destination. “There are guided tours through the tower and they get about 36,000 visitors a year,” he said.
Hook Head has extras such as facilities for children, an artist in residence and other attractions. However, he said that tours through the light house at Loop Head would have to be somewhat different. “It has large areas to accommodate people on different floors but Loop Head is a much narrower tower.”
With regard to Mizen Head, he said that it has “unique scenery” and people opt to travel there despite its isolated location.
On Loop Head, he said that it is a “very important light house”, as Irish Lights use to provide differentiated GPS. He said that some of the grounds couldn’t be used for a tourism project for safety reasons and that there was a need “to think outside the box a little”.
Mr Lehane said that Loop Head’s history goes back to 1670, while he reiterated that its size could pose some problems. “It is much smaller in diameter than Hook. It’s not suitable, in my opinion, for bringing large groups through the tower.”
However, he believes an attraction can be developed. “Personally, I think there is an opportunity and I think there is property there that can be used.”
It will take some time, he expects. “We’ve a long road to go. This is the very early stages. It takes a number of years from the start to the official opening.”
Councillor Gabriel Keating has been backing a development at Loop Head and he said it would have overall benefits. “It’s not just about the lighthouse, it’s about an overall plan for tourism for the area.”
There is a great opportunity there, he added. “What can be done is unreal, there is certainly great scope for development.”
Councillor PJ Kelly said that he believed the development should receive backing. “There has been a greater shortage of ideas than money and ideas generate money and jobs.”