Galway castle becomes battleground for heated debate over perceived lack of urgency with funding
Galway County Councillors have expressed frustration over an apparent lack of urgency in securing funding for a closed tourist attraction, despite records showing that the local authority has been pursing the issue for three years.
Progress on securing an estimated €5m to reopen Dunguaire Castle has stalled, much to the annoyance of some Galway councillors. However, internal records show that Galway County Council has been pursing State funding for the project since 2023.
At a recent council meeting, Loughrea district councillor Geraldine Donohue said Kinvara was getting “the raw deal”, pointing to the ongoing closure of the landmark site and wider concerns about local tourism. She also referenced reports that Kinvara pier is due to close for a six-month health and safety review.
Dunguaire Castle, which closed in 2022 on safety grounds, remains in the ownership of the Shannon Airport Group. Talks in 2023 about transferring ownership to Galway County Council stalled after the local authority declined to take on responsibility without guaranteed funding for repairs.
A timeline document provided to Cllr Donohue by chief executive Liam Conneally, and seen by the Irish Independent, sets out actions taken by the council over the past three years. The document states that due diligence, evidence gathering and funding assessments were carried out in 2024 ahead of submissions to relevant Government agencies.
Engagement with the Shannon Airport Group resumed in summer 2025. According to the document, correspondence “explicitly stated that, without Government funding, Galway County Council would not be in a position to proceed with the acquisition or works” at the castle.
By late 2025, the council had attended a ministerial-level meeting with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment as funding data was compiled. The document notes the meeting involved positive engagement and that “follow-up actions [were] agreed”.
Formal funding requests were issued in January 2026 to the Office of Public Works (OPW) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) by Mr Conneally.
Speaking at the meeting this month, Mr Conneally said the council had been “on this from the word go” and that commitments had been given and were being followed through, although “some information on those investments are commercially sensitive”.
“A significant amount of work has been happening under the surface,” he said. “All we are asking for is a bit of patience as we work through it.”
Cllr Donohue said she understood the need to protect sensitive information but insisted the reopening of the castle must remain a priority.
“While protecting this information is important for maintaining a competitive advantage, it is also vitally important to maintain and protect the tourist industry for Kinvara and County Galway,” she said.
Some councillors rejected any suggestion of deliberate inaction. Kinvara councillor Paul Killilea praised director of services Michael Owens for his “valiant efforts” in pursuing funding.
There has also been confusion about responsibility for the site, with Galway County Council listed in the legal section of the castle’s website, which states: “Dunguaire Castle is Galway County Council.”
In a statement to the Irish Independent, the Shannon Airport Group said: “Dunguaire Castle remains in the ownership of The Shannon Airport Group. Some website wording was added in anticipation of potential future arrangements with Galway County Council, but no transfer of ownership has taken place. We’re updating the website to ensure it reflects the current position accurately.”
Separately, councillors were told at a December meeting that €300,000 would be required to bring the castle up to code and reopen it for tourism. However, Galway County Council has continued to cite the €5m figure as the estimated cost of repairs needed to acquire and reopen the site.
Dunguaire is the last heritage site still held by the Shannon Airport Group, which previously transferred King John’s Castle and other properties in Clare to local authorities
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