Sod to turn on Shannon Pot investment

Work is to start on the new proposed €10 million Shannon Pot Discovery Centre, a flagship project for the northern part of Fáilte Ireland's Hidden Heartlands.

The sod will be formally turned on the hugely ambitious multi-million project tomorrow (Thursday), July 18.

The two-fold enhancement consists of a brand-new flagship tourism attraction at the source of the River Shannon, The Shannon Pot, as well as the provision of additional facilities for visitors to the already hugely popular Cavan Burren Park site.

The plan is to have it opened to the public by early 2026.

Back when it was first announced in May 2021, the project was one of just four large scale tourism initiatives confirmed nationwide under the €40 million plus funding stream.

The discovery centre building has been designed to maximise views of nearby Cuilcagh and the surrounding area, as well as to create a link between it and the Cavan Burren Park. The design seeks to minimise the overall visual impact on the unique landscape.

Contracts for the works are to be signed on Thursday morning at the Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark offices in Blacklion, with the sod turning to take place after.

The second element of the project is to construct the second phase of Cavan Burren Park, which largely involves providing visitors a viewing experience over megalithic field structures in a currently inaccessible area via a raised ‘tree-top’ walkway.

Other works include alterations to the existing carpark, and the addition of an amphitheatre at the rear of the existing visitor's centre there.

In a statement to The Anglo-Celt earlier this year, a spokesperson for Fáilte Ireland said its aim was to deliver a “world-class visitor experience” in the northern region of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.

They added of that both sites are an integral part of the UNESCO recognised Global Geopark.

“Together, the two sites, The Shannon Pot and Cavan Burren Park, promise to create a unique and exciting experience.”