Additional Shannon Pot funding welcomed
It is hoped to have the first visitors on site and using the Shannon Pot Discovery Centre by mid 2025.
News that Fáilte Ireland has approved the additional expenditure required to allow construction of the proposed Shannon Pot Discovery Centre has been welcomed locally.
Work is expected to commence in the coming weeks.
This project, inclusive of planning and design, was projected to cost around €7 million. It is now, having come through tender stage, closer to €9 million.
Cavan County Council recently approved their share of the additional expenditure and Fáilte Ireland last week completed their internal approval procedures.
It is hoped to have the first visitors on site and using the Shannon Pot Discovery Centre by mid 2025.
Local Fianna Fáil Councillor John Paul Feeley described the funding approval as the “last piece of the jig-saw to fall into place”.
“This final approval allows construction to start! This project can be transformative for West Cavan and create a flagship tourist attraction for the region, I look forward to visitors enjoying these new facilities in 2025 with what I hope will be a growing economic spin off in the wider region.”
He added that Cavan County Council will now finalise the appointment of the contractor, with a view to the construction workers moving onsite in the coming weeks.
“I have seen, at first had the work of the officials of Cavan County Council, the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark Team and the architect and other consultants involved in getting this project to this stage, I want to thank them for their genuine commitment to this vital project.
“They have made huge efforts to take on board the views of the local community and have put a huge personal effort into the project.”
The discovery centre building is designed to maximise the views of Cuilcagh, and create a link with Cavan Burren Park while minimising the visual impact on the landscape.
The building will be specially configured to facilitate visitors of all levels of mobility and is designed to be usable and accessible by the community when not open as a tourist attraction.
In addition to a new road access, the development includes new walks to and from the Shannon Pot and a ‘re-wilded’ area.
Some of the walks are slightly elevated to put the Shannon Pot into the context of the surrounding landscape.
The second element of the project is to construct Phase 2 of Cavan Burren Park.
This development includes alterations to the existing carpark, formalising the amphitheatre at the rear of the existing visitors centre to facilitate artist performance and other related work.
The main element will be the creation of walks through part of the Burren to allow visitors experience the megalithic field structures in the currently inaccessible area of Burren and on towards a raised ‘tree-top’ walk to give views towards Cuilcagh, Garvagh Lake and towards the Shannon Pot.