Ownership and operation of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Knappogue Castle and Craggaunowen is to be transferred of Clare County Council.
All three tourist attractions had previously been operated and maintained by Shannon Heritage since its formal establishment in 2014. Alongside Shannon Airport and Shannon Commercial Properties, it fell under the banner of Shannon Group.
Prior to the pandemic, Shannon Heritage’s operations contributed an estimated €20m annually in spin-off revenue. In total, it operated eight different sites based in Clare, Limerick, Dublin and Galway.
During peak season, 350 people are employed by Shannon Heritage with the figure dropping to 145 for full-time all year round staff.
In a memo to go before Cabinet on Tuesday afternoon, Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton (FG) revealed that the discussions with regard to the transfer of the heritage sites to Clare County Council and Limerick City and County Council were ongoing along with that of the retail outlet at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience.
Members of Cabinet were told that no final decision had been made but flagged that the local authorities would engage with Shannon Group on all issues arising including staffing matters.
Shannon Group have confirmed to The Clare Echo that they are in in discussions with local authorities in Clare and Limerick on the transfer of the Shannon Heritage company and all its visitor attractions in Co. Clare to Clare County Council, with King John’s Castle transferring to Limerick City and County Council.
A spokesperson for Shannon Group outlined that the employment rights of its 200 employees at the sites will not change, “The transfer of these heritage sites aligns with the two local authorities’ tourism development strategies and will provide opportunities for enhancing synergies and maximising the potential of these heritage sites in the region. The central role which local authorities are playing in tourism product development and sustainable tourism development make them a natural fit for Shannon Heritage”.
An agreement in principle has been reached with Clare County Council but this will take some months to conclude and is subject to due diligence and formal consent of the Ministers for Transport, Public Expenditure and Reform and agreement with the Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage. It is the intention of the parties that the transfer will be completed by the end of 2021.
Shannon Group will shortly engage with interested parties concerning the future operation of Dunguaire Castle in Co. Galway. Shannon Heritage currently manages a number of day visitor attractions in Dublin on behalf of Fingal County Council and An Post. It is Shannon Group’s intention to conclude these operating contracts and Shannon Group will work closely with both parties to ensure the smooth transition of the operations.
All energies from Shannon Group will now be concentrated on restoring passenger numbers at Shannon Airport. “We have come through many crises in the past and we got through them by planning for the future and focussing our efforts on where they have best impact,” the spokesperson said.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) outlined that the move was “a welcome development. It is of course really important that Clare County Council engages with workers at Shannon Heritage to set out for the workers their intentions in terms of security of their employment. It is really important that the workers who have suffered so much in the last year and a half be given job security and confidence”.
Meetings need to be organised swiftly to allow the Council set out their strategy and give job security for the staff at the three Clare sites. “These are workers who have suffered so much in the last 18 months, they now need confidence and security”.
Dooley believed Clare County Council’s “very strong track record” in tourism attraction development and management” most notably at the Cliffs of Moher and Loop Head Lighthouse would put it in “a very strong position to promote and further develop facilities”.
Given the “current crisis in aviation”, the Mountshannon native felt it was imperative Shannon Group focus on “its core business which is the Airport”. He added, “Shannon Heritage has a bright future and the potential for that can be harnessed by Clare Co Co who I expect will have a very ambitious plan”.
There will be “a new lease of life” for the tourism assets, Michael McNamara TD (IND) commented. He said he proposed to Clare County Council last summer that it express an interest
in taking over Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Craggaunowen, Knappogue Castle and the retail unit at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience.
Clare’s Independent TD added, “This is a good move for the visitor attractions as Clare County Council has, unusually among local authorities, a lot of experience in managing world class tourism sites. This move will hopefully serve to seek to balance their control of these assets to drive a greater dispersal of revenue and visitor footfall across all of the county, particularly when combined with their plans for Holy Island (Inis Cealtra)”.
Clare TD, Joe Carey (FG) said it was a “good move”. “There will be synergy between the Cliffs of Moher and Bunratty, Craggaunowen and Knappogue. It’s important that staff are fully briefed on developments. These facilities are rich assets for the region and must be marketed and developed properly thus ensuring the best possible return from the sites in terms of footfall and the complementary economic spin off for local businesses”.
Deputy Carey added, “The loyal staff that have worked in these amazing sites have been in limbo for an extended period of time. Today’s announcement is welcome and sets out a roadmap for a new exciting future and it’s important that the whole region works together to make this move a success”.
Certainty for the future of the sites stems from the announcement, Clare TD Cathal Crowe (FF) stated. “The past 15 months have been dogged with uncertainty and huge concern and frustration on behalf of the staff”.
Staff were always of the view “that there is huge future potential for the site if they are more aggressively marketed,” Deputy Crowe said. “It is important that all sites come together, Bunratty is the flagship site and is lucrative but there can’t be a creaming off of Knappogue and Craggaunowen which are equally as important and historic”.
