A new report being published this evening will propose the establishment of a community-owned hotel and related tourism services in Mountbellew.
‘The People’s Transition: Mountbellew’ is a report produced by the economic and social think-thank, TASC, and identifies an almost total absence of accommodation facilities in the town.
Report author, Kieran Harrahill, says that “by providing a space for tourists to stay in the area, a community-owned hotel would support community wealth building while increasing the opportunity for environmentally friendly tourism linked to the area’s hinterland.”
“Mountbellew is adjacent to Carrownagappul Bog, one of the most accessible raised bogs in Ireland, which could be used both for recreation by tourists and serve to educate people on the fragility of our ecosystems and the need for preservation,” he said.
Other report recommendations include the development of a small-scale hydroelectric generation which could deliver both small scale local energy generation and act as a further tourist attraction bolstering the existing excellent attractions.
Part-funding for these initiatives could be obtained from the European Union’s ‘Green Deal’ initiative, established to support regions most affected by policy measures to achieve climate neutrality by no later than 2050, and by the government’s recent Just Transition fund.
Cllr Peter Roche, Chairperson of Galway Rural Development, said: “We are thankful to Kieran and TASC for wanting to build on the work going on through Smart Villages.
“The potential is enormous here and we’re delighted to support the community initiatives thus far.”
“Much credit is due to the Smart Villages Mountbellew team and to the wider community for their input. We are looking forward to the report’s publication this evening and we also look forward to a great community attendance at the Malt House Bar from 7:30pm.”
