Dunmore East’s New Visitors Pontoon Ready For Use At End Of June

30th May 2016

Work under way in mid-May on the piling for the new Visitors Pontoon at Dunmore East, which will have Disabled Access. The final pile is being driven today (May 30th), and the official opening is scheduled for July 1st. Credit: W M Nixon

A completely new 60-metre Visitors Pontoon is being installed in Dunmore East in a location immediately northwest of the old Lighthouse and the steel tank pontoon which was placed there as a temporary measure for visitors two years ago writes W M Nixon.

The new pontoon – designated totally for visitor use – is of the same high standard as the new small fishing craft pontoon recently completed in Howth. Features of the Howth pontoon – such as dedicated disabled access – will be replicated in Dunmore East, where the popular Harbour Master Harry McLoughlin is confident that the new facility will be opened as scheduled on July 1st, for although work started as recently as May 9th, the final pile is due to be driven today (May 30th).

dunmore east2
The new small fishing craft pontoon in Howth, which shows the standard of the facility being installed at Dunmore East. The Howth Lifeboat is temporarily berthed at the new pontoon until a purpose-built Lifeboat Berth is completed at the Lifeboat House itself – the crane beyond is working on this project. Photo: W M Nixon

Contractors at Dunmore East are L & M Keating of Kilmihil, Co Clare, who have carved out a special niche in Ireland as the “can do” engineers to go to when quality harbour and waterfront works are required. One of their most recent contracts was the award-winning extension of the challenging little ferry port at Doolin in County Clare, which is hugely busy with tour-boats cruising the nearby Cliffs of Moher or making the shortest sea crossing to the nearby Aran Islands, while the firm are also investors themselves in the shoreside infrastrucuture, as they own and operate Kilrush Marina & Boatyard.

As for future developments in Dunmore East (where a massive dredging operation was recently completed), the word on the grapevine is that a consultative programme has been officially started to explore ways and means of installing an additional breakwater which could lead to the provision of a proper marina.

dunmore east3
A busy day in late April at the newly-extended ferry port at Doolin in County Clare. Contractors L & M Keating Ltd received an award for the complete project, which included extensive shoreside works. At high water - as seen here - the old pier (foreground) can be used for additional berthing, but at low water the only ferry access is via the new outer pier. Photo: W M Nixon

Published in Coastal Notes

Tagged under

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.