Sligo tourism providers to benefit from Shared Island funding in excess of €656k

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

A number of local companies have been allocated capital investment funding totalling €656,302 under the Shared Island Coast to Coast Investment scheme, details of which were announced by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke and Northern Ireland Minister for Economy, Dr. Caoimhe Archibald as part of funding totalling €2.7m.

The Coast-to-Coast Investment Scheme is part of the Shared Island Tourism Brand Collaboration Project being delivered by Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland. The announcement marks a significant milestone in the delivery of the project which aims to support the enhancement of visitor experiences and create synergies across the iconic Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway Coastal Route in the North West and North Coast regions.

Four tourism providers locally have been awarded funding – The Model, Home of The Niland Collection (€177,732); Lough Gill Brewery (€112,000); Rose of Innisfree (€180,556) and The Yeats Society (€186,014).

The funding for The Model will go towards presenting Jack Butler Yeats’ story through an immersive exhibition, film, and Toy Theatre, using creative storytelling to explore his life and art.

Lough Gill Brewery’s funding allocation will help create a new visitor centre that will celebrate Sligo’s craft beer, heritage, and natural beauty through immersive and sensory experiences. It will feature a taproom, exhibition spaces, and interactive, multilingual displays.

The funding awarded to the Yeats Society will enable The Yeats Building become a multi-sensory experience linking W.B. Yeats to Sligo’s culture and landscape. A VR tower room will offer animated panoramic views inspired by his work.

The allocation to The Rose of Innisfree will ensure the boat will be upgraded with audiovisual systems, electric engines, and improved accessibility. Visitors will enjoy themed stories and seamless travel links.

A total of almost €2.7million was allocated under the scheme to support the development and enhancement of existing visitor attractions and experiences across counties Donegal, Sligo and parts of Leitrim on the Wild Atlantic Way, as well as counties Derry and Antrim along the Causeway Coastal Route.

Following a competitive application process, a total of 13 projects have been approved by Tourism Agencies for funding across the two jurisdictions. The investments will enable comprehensive upgrades at the existing attractions and experiences including advanced interpretation, enriched storytelling, and substantial improvements to visitor experience infrastructure.

These developments will strengthen the appeal of the attractions and the two iconic routes, while encouraging visitors to further explore the regions, extend their stay, and generate greater economic benefits for local communities.

The funding was also welcomed by Sligo/Leitrim TD and Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Frank Feighan which he believes will have a positive impact on the tourism offering in the Sligo/Leitrim region.

“The successful projects under the Coast-to-Coast Investment will enhance the visitor experience at key attractions, helping to tell our shared stories in compelling ways. This investment reflects the Government’s commitment to balanced regional development, as set out in A New Era for Irish Tourism: National Tourism Policy Statement.

"By backing projects in every part of the island, we are ensuring that tourism growth delivers real benefits for local communities and helps build a more competitive, resilient and regionally balanced visitor economy for the future.”

Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Marian Harkin also welcomed the allocation.

"It will have a real and lasting impact on our local tourism economy. These projects celebrate our unique cultural, literary and natural heritage while improving accessibility and the overall visitor experience. By investing in attractions rooted in place, storytelling and sustainability, this funding will help to attract more visitors, encourage longer stays and support jobs and enterprise across our communities. I commend the organisations involved for the ambition and quality of their proposals.”

Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.