Spike Island is to be developed as a major tourist hub - €40m plan recently unveiled

Pictured at the launch of the draft plan in the County Hall recently, (l-r) Martin Riordan, County Manager; David Flannery, Scott Tallon Walker Architects; Cllr Barbara Murray, Mayor of County Cork; Michael Counahan CHL Tourism and Brendan Tuohy, Chairman of the Spike Island Steering Group. (Picture, Cork County Council)


190 jobs could be generated from Cork County Council’s plan to transform Spike Island into a tourist attraction. A proposed €40.3m project could attract up to 300,000 visitors to the Cork Harbour every year, experts believe.

Compiled by a team of experts, led by Scott Tallon Walker and destination specialists, CHL Consulting, the document plans out the magnificent opportunity to create a new 100 acre national park on the water, with the 40 acre Mitchel Fort at its centre, renovated and developed as a complex of cultural heritage attractions and museums.

The development will be carried out on a phased basis over a number of years. Cork County Council hopes to secure funding from Failte Ireland for Phase 1 and it is hoped to commence works on this phase in 2013.

Related links for this article 

Download the plan from the Spike Island website

More information from Cork County Council

A Cork Harbour solution to current maritime training problems

The NMCI in Ringaskiddy can provide trainee seafarers with access to world-class ICT products

A major problem is facing the European shipping industry. As well as facing fierce competition from the Far East, it is predicted that there will be a shortage of 27,000 seafaring officers by 2015 (BIMCO/ISF 2005, 2010, Urkmez, 2005). MaritimeTraining is a platform which has been formed to promote the results of five highly successful completed EU funded maritime education and training (MET) projects. These projects directly address particular problems and deficiencies in MET. The intention is to include further products that are relevant to maritime training. Cork Harbour is well placed to capitalize on this opportunity through the world-class facilities at the NMCI in Ringaskiddy which can provide seafarers with information and computer technology (ICT) based products to improve the quality of their education. The project consortium believes that by raising standards in the field of European MET, and providing institutions with tools to improve the quality of their education, the employability and mobility of European seafarers will be increased. The partners involved in the MaritimeTraining platform have a clear vision for enhancing MET in their countries and throughout Europe, including Ireland. TUDEV and C4FF together support the platform with their network, namely MariFuture (www.marifuture.org) and MarEdu (www.maredu.co.uk). For more information about the MaritimeTraining Platform, please follow the link below. Related links for this article  Maritime Training Platform

Spike Island Ghost Tour

Spike Island Ghost Tour, 24th November

A Special Ghost Tour of Spike Island will take place on the 24th November departing from Kennedy pier at 7PM (returning at 9PM). Tickets are available for on a first come first served basis up to November 22nd at €15 from Cork County Council’s Offices in the Cash Office, Floor 1, County Hall, Cork, and from the Tourist Information Office in Cobh. There is a special reduced price of €14.50 for those booking online from the website titanic.ie. The Spike Island ghost tour is a unique experience based on the many local stories of ghost and sighted apparitions on the Island over the years. Following the investigations of Ghost Hunters International on Spike Island earlier this year, a tour that will trace the Island’s darker folklore will be conducted through some of the spookiest recesses of the Island. Evidence and tales of the unexplained will be shared with participants recalling eyewitness accounts and technical investigative procedures in the darkened atmosphere of Spike’s isolation. Related links for this article  Cork County Council information Spike Island Walking Tours website

Spike Island is to be developed as a major tourist hub - €40m plan recently unveiled

Pictured at the launch of the draft plan in the County Hall recently, (l-r) Martin Riordan, County Manager; David Flannery, Scott Tallon Walker Architects; Cllr Barbara Murray, Mayor of County Cork; Michael Counahan CHL Tourism and Brendan Tuohy, Chairman of the Spike Island Steering Group. (Picture, Cork County Council)

190 jobs could be generated from Cork County Council’s plan to transform Spike Island into a tourist attraction. A proposed €40.3m project could attract up to 300,000 visitors to the Cork Harbour every year, experts believe. Compiled by a team of experts, led by Scott Tallon Walker and destination specialists, CHL Consulting, the document plans out the magnificent opportunity to create a new 100 acre national park on the water, with the 40 acre Mitchel Fort at its centre, renovated and developed as a complex of cultural heritage attractions and museums. The development will be carried out on a phased basis over a number of years. Cork County Council hopes to secure funding from Failte Ireland for Phase 1 and it is hoped to commence works on this phase in 2013. Related links for this article  More information from Cork County Council

East Tip, Haulbowline Island, Remediation Project, Public Consultation, Ringaskiddy

Download a PDF version of this flier below

Information Evening in Ringaskiddy  As part of the non-statutory public consultation for the East Tip Remediation Project, Cork County Council is holding an Information Evening: Venue: The Community Centre, Ringaskiddy Date: Monday 19th November 2012 Time: 6:30pm A number of presentations will be made by the Project Team who will then be available to discuss the project, record feedback and answer any queries that people may have. You can also contact the Project Team by: Emailing: haulbowline@rpsgroup.com Or Writing to: East Tip Remediation Project, RPS, Innishmore, Ballincollig, Co Cork. Related links for this article  Follow the progress of the project here Flier for the public meeting, Ringaskiddy

Irish Ports in good position to capitalise on growing demand for offshore marine renewable energy services

At least seven Irish ports are in a good situation to facilitate the demands of the offshore marine renewable sector

Source: The Irish Maritime Development Office, November 2012  The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) has today published its report on “The Irish Ports Offshore Renewable Energy Services” (IPORES). The report provides a detailed summary of information on Irish port infrastructure, facilities and management plans in relation to meeting requirements of marine renewable energy developers. The report found that at least seven Irish ports are in a good situation to facilitate and service both current and future demands of the offshore marine renewable sector. The report identifies that large scale development projects in particular have strong potential to generate several hundred new jobs and other positive economic benefits for the regions. The study involved a detailed stakeholder consultation process and analysis of 14 ports around the island of Ireland including a comparison with some key renewable energy services ports in the UK and Germany. Irish Ports were categorised according to criteria that would meet the requirements to service the offshore renewable energy sector which included port infrastructure, available quay space and hinterland, depth of water, past experience with the sector, proximity to markets, potential for job creation and availability of skills and maritime services. The report provides a number of recommendations including the establishment of clear targets to deliver new offshore ocean renewable projects at Irish ports leading to new investment and employment opportunities. Ireland’s offshore renewable energy resources are amongst the highest in the world with a potential of between 63,000 and 73,000 MW of power available for harnessing. Ports will play a key role in facilitating future large-scale developments and operations of ocean energy devices (wind turbines, wave energy converters and tidal turbines). Related links for this article  The Irish Ports Offshore Renewable Energy Services” (IPORES) Report.  IMDO website

The Titanic 100 Closing Ceremony

Titanic 100 commemorations, Cobh 2012

The Titanic 100 Closing Ceremony is scheduled to take place in the Cobh Promenade between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday 15th of December. Special guests will reflect on the events during 2012. Organisers of the Titanic 100 events estimate that 94,000 people visited Cobh in April for the commemorations, generating over €2 million for the local economy. Enormous goodwill was generated for Cobh and it’s environs. It is estimated that the PR generated for the town would have a value of over €16 million. Christmas Markets are scheduled to be held in the Cobh Promenade from Saturday December 15th to Sunday December 23rd 2012. The Cobh Christmas Markets will be officially opened after the Titanic Commemoration Closing Ceremony. It is hoped that a number of wooden German-style Christmas huts will be in place to create to enhance the experience. Related links for this article  Titanic 100 website

Port of Cork Welcomes Final Cruise Liner of 2012 Season

P & O's MV Adonia is the final cruise liner to visit Cork Harbour this season

Call of “Adonia” closes busiest cruise season to date The Port of Cork welcomed MV Adonia, the final cruise liner of the 2012 season to Cobh on 6th November following the busiest year to date for the Port in terms of cruise calls. In total, 57 liners called to the Port of Cork, home to Ireland’s only dedicated cruise berth, carrying almost 100,000 passengers and crew. The Port of Cork has ambitious plans to grow the business and already the 2013 season is showing growth, with 62 liners expected to call. Some of these calls will stay overnight and at least 10 liners will make their maiden call to Cork in 2013. For the first time ever, Europe’s largest cruise liner “Independence of the Seas” will welcome passengers to embark at Cobh next June and September for a 12 night cruise around the Norwegian Fjords. This initiative which is exclusive to Lee Travel is a major coup for Cork. Over the last 10 years, the Port of Cork has invested €8 million in upgrading and improving cruise facilities and this has made a major impact on the number of calls, increasing from 35 in 2005 to 57 this year. With an average spend per in-transit passenger of approximately €73 per day*, the cruise business is an important catalyst for the local economy. Commenting on the success of the 2012 cruise season, Captain Michael McCarthy, Commercial Manager of the Port of Cork said “We know from our meetings with the cruise lines that Cork and the Munster region is a very popular destination for passengers due to the exciting range of shore excursions on offer and the warm welcome they receive here which is second to none. We want to grow the number of cruise calls to 80 over the next five years and to increase turn-around calls and overnight stays to generate even further revenue for the region.” As always, all cruise liners that called to Cork throughout the season were given a very special welcome courtesy of CorkCruise, providing tourist representatives to go onboard each vessel, a display of traditional Irish dancing for passengers and a fond farewell on the quayside with a performance by a local brass band. These efforts were recognised once again in 2011 when the Port of Cork was awarded two Cruise Insight Awards for ‘Best Shore Side Welcome’ and ‘Best Tour Guides’ which were announced at the global shipping conference, Seatrade Miami in April 2012. *Failte Ireland ‘Cruise Tourism to Ireland’ Survey 2010 Related links for this article  Port of Cork Website