Access restored to Loop Head Peninsula as road reopens

KILBAHA, Ireland - March 14, 2014 - PRLog -- One of the main access roads to the Loop Head Peninsula reopened this afternoon (Friday, 14th March 2014) following the severe storms which impacted the County Clare coastline during January and February.

Clare County Council has completed extensive works to rebuild and repair over 100m of the Regional Road and coastal wall along Kilbaha Bay.

This work has been completed in time for the Bank Holiday Weekend and it is expected that traffic on the Loop Head Peninsula will increase and build from this coming weekend while the local villages and towns in the area such as Doonbeg, Kilkee and Kilrush host a number of St. Patrick’s Day Parades and Festivities over the coming weekend.

The reopening of the road has been welcomed by Mayor of Clare Councillor Joe Arkins, who said: "The temporary reconstruction works were necessary to reestablish connectivity in Kilbaha and the wider Loop Head Peninsula, and are a timely boost for the upcoming tourist season. Recent weeks have already seen the launch of the Wild Atlantic Way with a number of Discovery points along that route situated in the greater Loop Head area."

Works undertaken by Council staff include the positioning of over 3000 tonnes of rock armour along the seafront, 1200 square meters of surfacing works, and the pouring of over 200 cubic metres of concrete.

Siobhan Garvey, Marketing and Development Officer for West Clare stated: “There is no doubt that visitors planning a trip to Loop Head Lighthouse and the Bridges of Ross on the Loop Head Peninsula will appreciate the improved coastal protection works, car parking facilities and increased safety infrastructure that has now been put in place at these locations.”

“The improvement works completed today add to a number of tourism infrastructural projects that were completed at both these locations along with the West End in Kilkee late in 2013.  The speed at which these works were completed and the continued investments made in the Loop Head area reflects the Council’s commitment to tourism and to continually building the tourism product in the rural parts of County Clare,” she added.

Meanwhile, Clare County Council has confirmed that the historic Loop Head Lighthouse will reopen for the summer 2014 season on Easter Saturday, 19th April. The Lighthouse is one of two “Signature Discovery Points” in County Clare along the route of the recently launched Wild Atlantic Way, while the Bridges of Ross features as a “Discovery Point” on the touring route that stretches from Donegal to West Cork.

“Clare County Council, in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, has committed to erect a series of branded Wild Atlantic Way directional and interpretative signage in the area in time for the commencement of the busy tourist season,” Ms. Garvey concluded.