Minister Dillon officially opens new €5m. Westport Adventure Park
THE Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Alan Dillon, has performed the official opening of the new Westport Adventure Park, located in the grounds of historic Westport House.
Formally unveiling the new €5 million investment, Minister Dillon told an invited audience of guests that he was delighted to learn that almost 70 full and part-time staff will be employed at the new outdoor all-weather facility, which will operate on a continuous basis throughout the year.
Westport Estate has taken a 300-year-old quarry area within its grounds, from which the original stone to build Westport House was sourced, and transformed it into a brand new active destination, featuring Ireland’s largest net park, dual 100-metre ziplines, giant multi-person swings, a freefall jump, giant slides, a host of 10-metre climbing walls and an exciting aerial trekking course, all of which is set against the stunning backdrop of Clew Bay and Croagh Patrick.
Also present at the official opening event and on hand to try out the new adventure facilities were Mayo football legend Aidan O’Shea and international boxing champ Shannon Sweeney from Westport, who was recently crowned European Light Flyweight boxing champion.
With the opening of Westport Adventure Park, visitors are being asked to ‘Awaken Your Wild’ and find adventure within the beautiful natural setting of Westport Estate and make it an essential part of any Wild Atlantic Way experience.
Said Minister Dillon: “I am honoured to be officially opening the Westport Adventure Park. It’s a thrilling new addition to Westport Estate, which is already one of the leading visitor attractions in the west of Ireland, a historical and cultural treasure and a wonderful natural amenity for the town of Westport.
“It is also a leading employer within the town, and I congratulate the Hughes family for the transformative work that is taking place across Westport Estate, and the wonderful restoration of Westport House.”
Owner and director of the Westport Estate, Cathal J Hughes, said the opening was yet another good reason to include Westport in any Wild Atlantic Way itinerary: “Westport Estate aims to become a world class tourism destination, operating on a year-round basis for both domestic and international visitors. Our vision matches the government’s ambition to create new and exciting reasons to visit the northwest stretches of the Wild Atlantic Way.
“The opening of Westport Adventure is the beginning of a journey we hope will attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to Westport and Mayo every year, create valuable jobs and help to turn tourism in this area into a vibrant 12-month business.”
Commenting, Barry O’Connor, chief executive officer, Westport Estate, said: “We are delighted to formally open Westport Adventure Park. We are not only expanding what is a fantastic existing offering but also enriching the visitor experience by introducing an exciting blend of active and challenging adventure experiences that will appeal to individuals, families, youth and adult groups of all ages.
“This is a time of change, growth and expansion at Westport Estate with each new season ahead, we can expect many more interesting, new and exciting developments.”
Owned and operated by the Hughes family, Westport Estate is a must-see experience on the Wild Atlantic Way, providing visitors with a choice of immersive experiences, including tours of Westport House, access to its gardens and unique tracks and trails and the option for guests to stay over in its camping and glamping village.