The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Green shoots for new tourist attraction in Portmagee
GREAT oaks from little acorns grow.
This has never been more apt than for Portmagee brothers John and James Murphy, who are working behind the scenes to develop a major new tourist attraction for the village.
Though it is early days for the Portmagee Whiskey and Seine Boat Experience, their dream is fast becoming a reality with plans in place to open part of the attraction next year.
Despite COVID-19, the two brothers are still moving forward with the new project, which is being supported by the Fáilte Ireland New Horizons Scheme. This scheme provides funding for the project to the tune of €200,000, but more importantly it provides business advice and marketing support to not only open the new development but to help ensure it becomes an iconic tourist attraction in South Kerry.
The Portmagee Whiskey and Seine Boat Experience is being developed on Barrack Hill at the entrance to Portmagee village, and the tender to construct the first phase of the visitor attraction has been awarded. This will, in time, see a ‘Geo-Decis’ Dome structure built to house, in effect, the Seine Boat experience, which will be a 360-degree immersive experience on the Seine boat and its history.
The two brothers background in multi-media through their production company ‘Bold Puppy’ are key to this unique immersive tour.
The second part of the attraction will, in time, be a distillery for Portmagee Whiskey.
“There is no other experience like this in Portmagee, Ireland or Europe. It is 100 per cent unique,” explained James. “We are hoping next year summer 2021 phase one will be open – the Seine Boat experience... We don’t have the funding yet to get the end goal.”
In the interim, the brothers along with their business partner, Stuart McNamara, are making progress, not least on the promotion of Portmagee Whiskey, which is already in production in Teelings Distillery in Dundalk.
Portmagee Whisky is made to spec, the recipe for the unique whiskey created by the two brothers. Currently on the market there are two Portmagee whiskeys – a Portmagee nine-year-old whiskey and a non-aged statement whiskey. Helping the two brothers in this regard is the SuperValu Food Academy, and the whiskey in available in five Kerry SuperValus, including locally in Cahersiveen. A tasting room for Portmagee Whiskey will also be developed at the visitor attraction, at a former RIC barracks, where currently the roof is being replaced on the building. That too is hoped to be ready for next year.
What is vital to both James and John’s business venture is its long-term sustainability, with a focus on the latest energy efficiency and environmentally friendly technologies. Their first step, in that regard, is the planting of 5,340 native Irish woodland trees on the land surrounding the future micro-distillery and visitor experience. The two brothers partnered with SWS Forestry to plant the woodlands under the government’s Native Woodlands Scheme, which was one of the ‘key’ goals in the development.
“Crucially, 550 of the trees planted are native oak trees and, as we see it, they will eventually replace the timber used in the making of the oak casks we mature our whiskey in,” explained John.
The woodlands comprise 25,000 sq. meters, and the trees being planted include 2,370 Alder, 790 Birch, 530 Scots Pine and 550 each of Hazel and Rowan. As these now grow on the site of the tourist attractions, behind the scenes this vital new attraction is also growing roots.