The Aran Islands RNLI will officially open a Visitor Experience and shop on Inis Mór this weekend,
Located in the boathall of the lifeboat station on Inis Mór, the Visitor Experience will bring people through 175 years of captivating history.
It features imagery and facts about the station’s lifeboats, memorable milestones, awards, rescue stories and the many volunteers from the island who have made up the lifesaving crew over the years.
Brian Wilson, RNLI Community Manager, said that the Visitor Experience will, “give the many tourists who come to the Aran Islands each year another attraction to enjoy”.
He added that it will also provide, “a terrific insight to the station’s rich history and the work of the volunteer team who have made such an impact over so many years.”
“This meandering visitor experience is a special mark of respect to all the people, call outs and stories this lifeboat station has to tell.”
Everyone is welcome to attend the official opening of the Visitor Experience from 1-4pm next Saturday during which visitors can view the new facilities, speak to the crew and purchase a token from the shop as a memento of their day.
The official opening of the new station shop will also take place that day. This quickly became a key attraction when it opened its doors back in June to both the islanders and the many visitors who come each year.
The shop means visitors can leave Inis Mór with a memory of their time on the island while supporting the charity.
Brian Wilson said “This is the second RNLI shop on the west coast of Ireland, along with Sligo Bay which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.”
“The response in the first week back in June more than exceeded our expectations and that momentum kept up throughout the summer season.”
“We have had a wonderful response from locals and tourists alike and we want to thank the team here for their efforts in getting us to this point as well as thanking everyone who has visited and shown their support since the opening.”
