Positive reaction from public to proposed Achill Skywalk

ROOM WITH A VIEW?A digital design of what the proposed Achill Skywalk may look like when it is developed.

Positive reaction from public to proposed Achill Skywalk


Anton McNulty

The Achill public were given a glimpse of what is envisaged for the proposed Achill Skywalk which will allow the public to walk on a glass floor overhanging the wild Atlantic.
Over 200 people attended a public information day in Gielty’s Bar in Dooagh, Achill last Wednesday where officials from Mayo County Council outlined what was envisaged for the Signature Discovery Point to be located near Keem Bay.
As revealed by The Mayo News last month, it is proposed to install a viewing platform with a glass floor which will allow the public to safely walk off the edge of a cliff at Moiteóg Head near Keem Bay.
The idea of developing a structure at such a renowned beauty spot had been met with some scepticism but the public were informed that it will not be visible from Keem Bay and will not be intrusive to the environment.

Lots of questions
Padraig Philbin, Senior Executive Engineer with Mayo County Council told The Mayo News that his team received a lot of questions regarding the project but believed the vast majority were satisfied with the proposed development.
“A huge number of people came to the meeting today and they had a lot of questions regarding the project but there was huge positivity towards it. We are only at the ideas stage at the moment, there has been no drawing and there is nothing fixed on yet. We just want to put the idea out there to the public. There is a lot of work to do yet,” he explained.
FΡilte Ireland have backed the concept of a skywalk and have agreed to finance the project which is estimated to cost in the region of €3 million and it is hoped to be completed by the summer of 2016. The skywalk is proposed to be located close to the old coastguard look-out station which the council say they propose to restore.
The Keem Bay project will also include a ‘Font of Creativity’ at the beach carpark, which will celebrate Irish creativity at national and local level.
Digital images of what the Skywalk may look like were on display to the public and similar glass skyways such as The Void in the French Alps and The Grand Canyon were also on show.

‘Must see, must do attraction’
Mr Philbin said that the Council want The Achill Skywalk to be a ‘must see must do tourist attraction’ and give the public the concept of walking off the edge of the highest sea cliffs in Europe.
The Council say they are committed to keeping the public up to date with the progress of the project through a series of monthly meetings. SeΡn Molloy, the new Manager of Achill Tourism said the proposed Achill Skywalk was a welcome and positive decision and looked forward to working with the Council.
“It will be a unique and spectacular attraction yet within a scale that won’t have a detrimental effect on the landscape or the outstanding natural beauty of the area. The net result is that Achill will be marketed to a huge global market as a key attraction on the Wild Atlantic Way. The open day last week was a huge success and the overwhelming majority of visitors welcomed the project,” he said.
The project was also welcomed by other organisations on the island including the Achill Business Network who said that it will put Achill back on the tourism map.