Portumna hotel to rise from the ashes at last

Works on the provision of a brand new hotel in Portumna, to replace the one which was completely destroyed by fire six years ago, could take place within the next year.

That would mean the new Shannon Oaks Hotel could be reopened in the town by 2020 – just in time for the Capital of Culture celebrations.

As it stands the old hotel is just a burned-out shell and there have been calls from the local business community to have it redeveloped – as the lack of such an important facility has been something of a drawback.

Local councillor Ivan Canning is confident that there could well be a start on the renovation – or complete rebuilding of the new hotel – within the next year.

The Shannon Oaks was destroyed by a major fire back in 2011 and has since been acquired by the Comer Group, the Glenamaddy property development family.

But that was a couple of years ago and there has been some frustration locally that there has been no move on the provision of a new hotel.

The local Portumna Chamber of Commerce expressed frustration about the lack of development on the site and said that the provision of a hotel would prove a huge economic boost for the town.

The loss of the hotel in Portumna was a major body blow for the town but local businesses will buoyed by the news that it could well reopen within the next two to three years.

“From the information that I am receiving, I am now confident that there will be a new hotel in Portumna and I also believe that work will start sooner rather than later. It could well commence within the next year,” Cllr Canning said.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.