Tag Archives: Lough Derg

RESIDENTIAL property sales clinched almost €15 million for home owners in South-East Clare last year, official figures have revealed. Some of the highest prices for homes were realised in Killaloe, Ogonnelloe and Broadford, where a stunning period house and lands netted almost €1 million, according to the Residential Property Price Register. “Killaloe is regarded as the Kinsale of the region. People aspire to come and live years over the years. Killaloe is a popular location for people who move into the area and can still travel a relatively short distance to work in Limerick, Shannon or Nenagh,” said John Phelan of Harry Brann Auctioneers. Even though the start of the year is usually considered to be a quiet period for auctioneers and property transactions, February 2014 proved to be an exceptional month, with total sales in South-East Clare netting an impressive €2.116 million. This compares with residential property deals worth €717,500 in January and €632,000 in March. Top of the …

CLARE TD Michael McNamara has written to the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Sport, Paschal Donoghue calling on him to support and provide financial assistance to Clare County Council to secure the purchase of Inis Cealtra (Holy Island). Inis Cealtra on Lough Derg is included among the early monastic sites on Ireland’s UNESCO Tentative List and is one of the most famous of such sites in Ireland. He highlighted to the minister that among its many attractions are a well preserved round tower, the ruins of six churches and a cell-like structure, which is one of the most extraordinary buildings in Ireland. “A Lough Derg Tourism Audit carried out in 2012 found that Lough Derg is not reaching its full potential in terms of attracting visitors and that Lough Derg has no defined ‘iconic’ visitor attraction that can act as a motivator for visits. “Inis Cealtra, with its iconic round tower, has the potential to be that driver of tourism …

Clare County Council has commenced work on developing a walkway along the shore of Lough Derg from Killaloe to Ballycuggeran and Two Mile Gate. The existing 0.5km walkway runs from the centre of Killaloe to Brian Ború’s Fort (Beal Ború). Work on the 1.8km extension to the walkway is expected to be completed by the end of 2014. The €100,000 project is funded under a €2 million stimulus package recently announced by the Government for the development of tourism in the Lakelands Lough Derg Region. Councillor John Crowe, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, has welcomed the project, adding that it is part of a “coordinated approach to enhancing the overall tourism infrastructure around Lough Derg.” He continued: “The new walkway, in conjunction with the development of new walking routes and the erection of new signage around the lake, is aimed at creating a greater sense of arrival and enhance the visitor experience in exploring the area. This work is being …

WILLIAMSTOWN Harbour in Whitegate has been sold for a figure believed to be just shy of €1 million and the new owners have plans to develop the location, to return it to its former glory. Lough Derg boating firm, Shannon Sailing Marina, whose general manager is Kilkishen man, Denis Dillon, has acquired Williamstown Harbour, which had been in receivership. Shannon Sailing Marina is a company set up 28 years ago in Dromineer, County Tipperary, directly across from Williamstown on Lough Derg. It is expected that the expansion to County Clare will see jobs created locally at the new site, as well as spin-off jobs during a planned construction phase. The sailing company’s base at Dromineer consists of a fully serviced workshop where the company carries out complete overhauls on boats. It includes a chandlery shop, where it sells boating equipment, and it also operates an ISA training school, where they teach people how to drive motor cruisers, drive power boats, …

Plans for  a permanent Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Station in Dromineer will be unveiled at a public meeting in the village on Wednesday. Members of the public will be able to meet architects and engineers who drafted the plans, at a consultation meeting in the Lough Derg Yacht Club from 7pm to 9pm. The current station began operations from the premises of Lough Derg Yacht Club at Dromineer, halfway down the east shore of the lake in North Tipperary. Now that plans for a new permanent station in the village are well underway, it is important that people become engaged with the consultation process. On May 25 last, the Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Station celebrated its 10th birthday. Over the past 10 years, the lifeboat was launched 240 times, 60 of those at night. Volunteer crews have rescued 340 people and saved the lives of three. Following a rescue on August 13 of this year, the skipper of the vessel wrote …

CLARE County Council has confirmed it is at an advanced stage of negotiations to secure the purchase of Holy Island (Inis Cealtra) on Lough Derg. It is understood that a purchase price has been agreed between Clare County Council and the landowner and it is now at a stage where the council is seeking funding from Government to purchase the island. Ger Dollard, director of services with Clare County Council, confirmed that the acquisition of the island has been under consideration for a number of years and that an opportunity recently arose to bring the site into public ownership. “We are fully aware of the significance of this location and would be anxious to see it forming part of the local tourism product and be available to the wider public. We are conscious of the strong heritage, environmental and conservation considerations associated with the island and, for that reason, have commenced the preparation of terms of reference for a visitor …

A new €2 million stimulus package is being invested to progress the objectives of the new five-year Lough Derg marketing plan. Environment Minister Alan Kelly has announced this funding will be spent on implementing some of the key recommendations of the “Roadmap for Experience Development and Destination Marketing Plan 2014-2017” for Lough Derg, which was launched earlier this year. Minister Kelly made the announcement at the launch of a brand new website dedicated exclusively to the promotion of the Lakelands Lough Derg region. Tourism attractions in Clare will be marketed in a more coordinated fashion with the help of a new website, which is designed to make a big splash for Lough Derg. Visitors to the region with information on places to visit, events, accommodation providers and restaurants, special offers, and land and water based activities by visiting www.discoverloughderg.ie. The website is one of a number of marketing initiatives being rolled out over the coming months and during 2015 to …

THE Killaloe Coast Guard Unit has launched an appeal for new volunteers to fill some vacancies in its unit. With 16 male and three female members in the current search and rescue service, the unit is seeking to recruit at least three new members, as a few other volunteers may leave over the coming months, due to work commitments. Led by officer in charge (OIC), Joe Doolan, the unit is Government-funded and doesn’t have to fundraise, unlike its predecessor, the Killaloe Ballina Search and Rescue Service. Acknowledging that training and call-outs were “time-consuming”, deputy OIC, Damien Madden insists it is also “very rewarding” for members who are involved in rescuing people from the lake or aftermishaps on land. “It is a great service for the community. Anyone who is using Lough Derg and gets into trouble, knows we are there at the end of a call by contacting 999 or 112. Once we are called out, we are normally in …