MAJOR MAYO HERITAGE PARK PLANNED
31 Jul 1996
Details of a 60,000 acre, £10m National Heritage Park, the largest of its kind in Ireland, have been unveiled to members of Mayo County Council by the Office of Public Works (OPW).
The area centres on the Nephin Beg mountain range, and extends to the north Mayo shoreline between Broad Haven and Ballycastle writes Tom Gillespie.
Up to 80,000 visitors per annum could be expected to visit the park, according to the authors of the blueprint, O'Muiré Smyth Architects. It is understood that 20,000 acres of land has already been purchased by Mayo County Council for the project.
The annual operating costs of the park could run at up to £700,000 each year, part of which would be off-set by receipts from visitors.
According to the document North West Mayo possesses unique and valuable scenic, environmental and ecological resources including some of the most important blanket bogs in Western Europe. The plans are now available for scrutiny at the headquarters of Mayo County Council and submissions are invited on the proposals.
The OPW and Mayo County jointly commissioned the study in February 1994 to address the questions of how this area should be conserved and managed. It pinpointed the existence in the area of many rare species of birds including merlin, hen harrier, golden plover and osprey. Greenland White-fronted geese migrate to the area while many mammals frequent the region, but the report says it is unlikely that deer would extend onto the bogs.
The report says: "The study team concludes that a National Park is necessary and desirable in principle, as a means of conserving and presenting the most important wildlife habitats and scenic areas of North West Mayo through a process of acquisition and management by the State".
They also suggest a number of options for a proposed visitor centre at the Park which could either consist of a single centre or several satellite units which would cost in the region of £1.5m. with a similar figure being quoted for the provision of access, parking, effluent treatment and water systems.
The study concludes that there should be a main park centre in Croaghaun/Tarssghaun on the scale of the Ceide Fields centre and an unnamed satellite centre is proposed on the Bangor Trail or Western way walking routes above Srahmore. Other aspects to be addressed are road and transport infrastructure, walking routes, motorbike scrambling routes, caravan and camping, public access to amenities, slipways and piers as well as beaches and waterside areas.
The designation of the Park will impact on the local economy directly in job creation and indirectly by enterprises supplying goods and services to the park as well as the on-going benefits from tourist traffic.
The Study concluded that North-West Mayo has a wealth of scenery worthy of
conservation and promotion in Ireland and internationally.
Connaught Telegraph - News - July 1996
Connaught Telegraph - Sport - July 1996
