Mayo's coastline has 'enormous potential', meeting told

Both funding and ambition must be leveraged to develop the full potential of Mayo’s marine coast, which could see cruise ships stopping off at Achill Island, according to a local councillor.

Achill-based Fianna Fáil Cllr Paul McNamara was commenting on a new marine strategy for Mayo, which was discussed at a recent meeting of Mayo County Council's Enterprise and Economic Development Strategic Policy Committee.

Cllr McNamara said the draft document was long-awaited and the council needed to invest more resources in moving it forward.

“Mayo’s coastline is the biggest in the country and an area I think we have totally neglected," he said. "The potential it has is enormous, but it is all down to funding that needs to be sought quickly. A bigger department needs to be put together in Mayo County Council to progress on the plan.” 

Cllr McNamara said activity at Mayo's piers had declined significantly over the years. 

"We have 15 in the Achill area alone, many with no activity unfortunately and if you were to just sit at one of those, to see them like that now, silence really does speak a hundred words. However, we have to respect the ones that still are active and do our best to keep them upgraded and maintained. 

"We have an obligation to rethink what those piers can be turned into. A lot are historic, from times when the food came from the sea, with people out fishing in terrible conditions. We have so many stories of the sea, including that of the Inishkea tragedy. 

"Our traditions and our history around the sea, we have forgotten it all and it needs to be remembered and the island communities. We are not doing a lot to enhance our islands of Inishkea, Inishturk and Clare Island, and there is the potential there alone to build a separate marine strategy. 

"We have to look at what the blue economy can bring to the county, and then the tourism side of things. I know in Dugort we got a pontoon fitted three years ago and the difference it made linking it to Blacksod on a daily basis is enormous."

Appealing to council CEO Kevin Kelly, Cllr McNamara urged: “We have to look at our maritime potential and how we are strategically located and the fact we are on a transatlantic route and how can we tap into that. Wouldn’t it be great if you could get one of those cruise ships to stop off at Ireland’s biggest island, Achill? If we could look at that and see can it happen, that’s what we have to do if we want to make this plan happen.”