Cooley seeks greater slice of tourism cake

November 1990

A drive to gain a greater share of the tourist trade begins with the launch of a brochure by the Carlingford Tourism and Festivals Company. Minister for Tourism Séamus Brennan does the honours at a reception in Dundalk.

The eight-page brochure in English, French and German, is funded with a grant from the Integrated Rural Development Fund and £3,500 contributed by local traders.

Minister Brennan believes the area can secure a bigger slice of the country’s tourism cake. It is a case of making it more fashionable to go to Carlingford and Cooley; the same as it is fashionable to visit Kerry and Galway.

‘ This brochure will open a lot of eyes to a place, which I think, offers potential for growth in overseas and home holiday-makers.’

There is gratitude from company chairman Con Delany to Kevin Woods for putting the brochure together over the last six months.

He also extends his appreciation to Bord Fáilte and other sponsors, including Jimmy Cumiskey of Jetstream Travel.

Mr Cumiskey speaks of the difficulty attracting Canadian and American visitors to the peninsula with no direct transatlantic flights into Dublin airport.

Minister Brennan understands that visitor numbers to Dundalk tourist office increased by 44% in 1989, and that the figures show the hard work being undertaken by local authorities.

A new video produced by Midlands-East Tourism features Cooley prominently, the minister says, and he continues that an adventure centre and hostel recently opened in Carlingford indicates what can be done. He welcomes that a new interpretative centre on the legend of Cúchulainn and the Red Branch Knights is underway.