13 Oct 2022
Funding Awarded to Progress Cross-Border Tourism Experience for Brow Head
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Danny Collins has welcomed the announcement that funding of €100,000 has been awarded under the Shared Island Local Authority Development Fund to progress a feasibility study for the ‘Four Points of the Island’ project. Cork County Council will collaborate with Kerry County Council, the lead Local Authority Partner together with Donegal County Council and Ards and North Down Borough Council.
The ‘Four Points’ project will deliver a Feasibility Study examining potential for connections between the four extreme geographic points on the island of Ireland – Brow Head, County Cork (most southerly), Banba’s Crown, Malin Head, County Donegal (most northerly), Burr Point, Ards Peninsula, County Down (most easterly), and An Dún Mór/Dunmore Head, County Kerry (most westerly) and enhancement that further connect cultural experiences, and the shared promotion of the inter connected projects.
The objective of the Feasibility Study is to identify and develop existing tourism experiences within the ‘Four Points’ of the project via an all-island collaborative approach, enabling the pooling of resources and shared opportunities to develop a unique tourism product.
The local authorities involved can establish connections between the Four Points on the island and leverage their unique experiences and culture to raise the profile of the individual destinations and enhance visitor footfall and economic benefits to the local communities in a sustainable way.
The funding has arrived, at what the four Local Authority Partners see, as a most appropriate time to help develop this unique cross border tourism product with benefits spread not only to the “Four Points” at the four corners of the island but to intermediate points between them as visitors move around the island to complete their goal.
Mayor Collins said, “I wholeheartedly welcome the news that the application to conduct a Feasibility Report to develop this project has been successful and we are delighted to be working with Kerry County Council, Ards and North Down Borough Council and Donegal County Councils to progress this. This unique and innovative project supports the objectives set out in the Government’s National Development Plan by the development of new All Island local authority partnerships, which should reap economic and social benefits for all involved and it is also consistent with all other relevant regional and local tourism plans.”
Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey went on to say, “Cork County boasts an incredible range of cultural attractions, unique experiences, and activities to enjoy and I am confident that the furthering of this initiative would increase visitor spend and dwell time in our rural towns and villages, providing a direct economic impact.”