Community cottages in Ballynacally are welcoming tenants at what has become the new social meeting point for villagers and tourists visiting the Shannon Estuary Way.
The six-person Local Development Association is delighted to welcome tenants for the first time to two self-catering cottages adjoining the Estuary Way café, which saw its doors officially open last year in July 2020.
The apartments, which form part of the ‘Range Cottages’ were originally built by the Ball family from Ballsbridge in Dublin for their workers and have added to the buzz around the village.
Chairman of the Local Development Association Liam Kirwan stated “Young families and older people hang out here on weekends. It has remained right through the winter and the summer. People are delighted that something is happening in a small village. Nothing like this has ever happened in Ballynacally”.
Funds raised from the cottages are to go towards the renovation of the local community hall. Part of the drive to revitalise the old cottages was a push for tourism in the village located between Ennis and Kildysart, focusing in on the Shannon Estuary Way and the new Eurovelo Cycle route.
“Being on the Estuary way is hugely important for us here. People are coming and stopping here through the use of apps. In the future, we would hope to be like the Burren for tourists,” Liam opined. Incorporating the rich history of nearby islands such as Coney Island, Deer Island, Canon Island and Inishloe Island is also part of the future tourism strategy of the association, he added. This will come in the form of collections and boat tourism trips to the islands, akin to “island hopping.”
Music sessions on Sunday mornings outside the café are also something to look forward to within the village, Liam enthused, casting an optimistic eye to the future of his native Ballynacally.
The cottages can be booked by contacting the Development Association through Facebook and making an enquiry. A new website is currently in the works for the cottages, which will make future bookings more accessible.
