Fianna Fáil Senator Ned O’Sullivan is backing calls for Cloghane and Brandon to be included in the Wild Atlantic Way.  Despite a number of Kerry towns and villages making the grade, locals in Cloghane have been told the driving route is by-passing their village.

“One of the aims of the Wild Atlantic Way was to direct tourists to less visited areas along the west coast.  However, bosses in Fáilte Ireland seem to be ignoring the unspoilt beauty of Cloghane and Brandon in favour of more obvious tourist attractions like the Blasket Islands and Skellig Michael.  Tourism is the main source of revenue in these villages and their exclusion from this multi-million euro project will have a major impact on local businesses”, said Senator O’Sullivan.

“€10 million has been invested in the Wild Atlantic Way, which runs from the top of Donegal, along the west coast and down through Cork and Kerry.  As well as covering popular tourist attractions, there was supposed to be an attempt to draw visitors to less well known locations.  The omission of Brandon and Cloghane flies in the face of this policy.  Residents in these villages now fear they’ll lose the tourism industry they had built up to other larger towns that have made it onto the driving route.

“Locals are continuing to lobby Fáilte Ireland to see if the villages can be added to the tourist initiative.  Villages like these need all the help they can get to attract tourism into the area.  Many businesses are already struggling and would benefit greatly from a boost like this.  I would urge the powers that be in Fáilte Ireland to reconsider their decision, and add Brandon and Cloghane onto the route.  It would greatly boost the profiles of these villages and bring much needed revenue into the area”.