ESB are undertaking a feasibility study to put forward a business case for a world class visitor attraction at Ardnacrusha.
Engagement with public representatives and ESB has taken place ahead of preparing the feasibility study which is planned to underline justification for its inclusion in an application to a national funding scheme such as the RRDF.
Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND) was among the elected representatives to meet with ESB and he has expressed his full support for the proposal at the site of Ireland’s first electricity generating station. The ESB are now commencing a period of participatory stakeholder engagement to attain key input and feedback on the project plan, this it is expected will lead to a regional project with local and community beneficial impact.
A new visitor experience which comprises of five floors, a 360-degree virtual amphitheatre, a café which will offer sustainable locally sourced food, a retail unit hosting local artisan crafts and products, and family oriented outdoor spaces are all planned for the Ardnacrusha Experience
Deputy McNamara believed there would be strong public interest in the development of an Ardnacrusha visitor experience. “The Shannon hydroelectric Scheme, which led to the establishment of the ESB in 1927, was a major development by the Irish Free State to harness the power of the River Shannon at a time when the country had the second lowest consumption of electricity in Europe. The development of an iconic visitor project here would capitalise on the growth in popularity of heritage-based tourism and ultimately, provide a significant boost to the tourism sector in southeast Clare.”
He felt there was scope to develop a heritage tourism project on a par with the ‘Titanic Experience’ in Belfast, which has delivered “significant, positive benefits for the city and Northern Ireland in general.”
“During my first term as a TD, I successfully appealed to the then Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte to encourage ESB to reinstate school tours at Ardnacrusha and I am delighted to see it has proven to be extremely popular. Clare County Councillor PJ Ryan (IND) has also been pushing for the development of a visitor project there over a long number of years,” McNamara added.
Expansion of the daily capacity limits at Ardnacrusha could also be expanded, the Scariff TD stated. “ESB currently runs a visitor experience in the current power station from approximately May to September each year, with visitor numbers of just over 10,000 per year. Access to Ardnacrusha is limited however, as the ESB admits only (non-commercial) groups, which are booked in advance while tours can be provided only at set times on Mondays through Fridays”.
