Campaign grows to bring Dunguaire Castle back into business

Pressure is mounting this week to reopen one of the most photographed sites along the Wild Atlantic Way – Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara.

The collapse of the tourist market from outside Ireland due to the Covid-19 emergency has meant that the iconic 16th century structure on the edge of Galway Bay has remained closed so far this season.

But this week, East Galway Fine Gael TD told the Connacht Tribune that he was hopeful a package of financial support measures would be put in place to get the doors of Dunguaire re-opened over the coming weeks.

“I know that as of this week, Shannon Heritage [a semi-State body that runs and manages the site] have submitted a detailed financial set of proposals in order to reopen places like Dunguaire.

“The message we are repeatedly hearing is for Irish people to holiday at home in 2020 so this makes it all the more important to have our major sites and attractions open for our home visitors,” Deputy Cannon told the Connacht Tribune.

He also suggested, that in the longer-term, it might be worth considering to put a site like Dunguaire Castle under the stewardship of the OPW (Office of Public Works).

“I just think that given the wonderful job the OPW has done with sites in Athenry and Portumna that there is certainly merit in considering giving them a similar role with the Kinvara site.

“This is one of the most photographed sites along the entire Atlantic Way – images seen all over the world – but we are now approaching the last week in July so there is a real urgency in getting it open again as soon as possible,” said Deputy Cannon.

Shannon Heritage also run the Bunratty Castle and St. John’s Castle attractions and last week in the Dáil, Deputy Cannon – along with TDs, Joe Carey (Clare) and Kieran O’Donnell (Limerick) – made the case to Minister of State, Hildegarde Naughton and Minister Eamon Ryan for the full reopening of the facilities.

According to Deputy Cannon, with the extension of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme ‘well past August’, the issue of salary payments should no longer be a major financial concern for Shannon Heritage.

Deputy Cannon also said that Minister Ryan had indicated a willingness to consider the provision of providing financial support for the group [Shannon Heritage] to ‘successfully operate’ the heritage sites.

“The loss of visitors to Dunguaire Castle is not only a blow for the employees of the Shannon Heritage group but it is also a major blow for the economy of the Kinvara and South Galway area,” said Deputy Cannon.

Dunguaire Castle was built around 1520 by the Hynes clan, reputed to be descendants of a High King of Connacht who ruled the province from his Atlantic fortress.

In the early 20th century, it was purchased by surgeon and poet Oliver St. John Gogarty who began restoration work on the castle, a project continued on by Christobel Lady Ampthill in the 1950s and 1960s, before the landmark site was eventually bought by the Shannon Development Company, the parent group of Shannon Heritage.