4 August 2017
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Last week Cork based Fine Gael Senator, Tim Lombard, visited in Union Hall and Courtmacsherry discussing with local community members and public representatives the proposal to have these charming coastal towns, and the drive between them, included in the Wild Atlantic Way.
“Tuesday started with a scenic drive to Union Hall to meet with locals who have been campaigning to have their town included in the Wild Atlantic Way. Driving into the town you can see why; the landscape is beautiful and the place is so unique. Union Hall has a lot to offer visitors, from beaches and woodland walks, to kayaking and world renowned angling, to restaurants and art galleries.
“The day continued with another lovely drive, this time into Courtmacsherry where again you can see why locals are calling for a review of the Wild Atlantic Way. This seaside village has a phenomenal view across the bay and boasts an active community that hosts numerous festivals throughout the year. It offers a lot of history and is also the gate to another West Cork attraction; the Seven Heads Peninsula.
“At both towns the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, attended meetings with local community members and public representatives where we discussed the value of rerouting the Wild Atlantic Way to include these towns and all these things they have to offer.
“Members of both of these communities feel strongly in the value of their locale. The preview early this week demonstrated that an alteration of the Wild Atlantic route to include hidden gems like these towns would really showcase all that West Cork has to offer. Not only would this contribute greatly to Ireland’s touristic appeal but also to our local economies and communities here in the heart of West Cork.
“Minister Griffin expressed his intention to review the Wild Atlantic Way, which hopefully proves positive for the proposals of these villages.
“Over the next few months we must engage with the local authority to ensure that road infrastructure is assessed and, if necessary, redeveloped, to ensure it could accommodate the increased volumes of traffic associated with tourist numbers.”
