Leitrim coastline project nominated for national award

Leitrim’s only stretch of coastline has undergone a significant transformation in recent years.

In 2018, locals decided they needed to develop the area and, along with Leitrim County Council and local councillor Justin Warnock, set out to put together three major projects, including a walkway to the coast, a children’s play park a stone’s throw from the coast, and a biodiversity planting area developed beside the coastal access.

An Access to the Sea project provided a new public car park and improved access to the coast, making the area more accessible to visitors and the local community.

The project was officially opened in 2024 following an investment of almost €200,000 through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

The improvements have continued this year, with a new playground and biodiversity planting area developed beside the coastal access.

The playground was developed in partnership with Tullaghan Development Association and Leitrim County Council, with planning documentation confirming that the facility was intended to be publicly accessible without restrictions.

The amenity has subsequently become a focus for families and visitors, although the council has also been asked to address littering at the site.

“It was inevitable that the access had to come, really, because sure it was madness, sure look at me, I’m about marine biologists, and I couldn’t even get down to the sea. I’m living across the road,” says Louise Collins, a local woman who is part of the Tullaghan Development Association.

The coastal park will be officially opened in October, but is already in use by local children and the attached car park was used to host a movie night earlier this month, with a roaming theatre coming out to show a short film about rural isolation.

“It’s huge; it’s always very busy. They did a huge investment always very busy, and it’s fantastic,” said Collins.

“What we were delighted with was that it’s a space just for the local families as well because there are so many kids here, but it’s also an attraction for Tullaghan for the Wild Atlantic Way for visitors. It’s a fantastic attraction.”

Tullaghan is located on Leitrim’s approximately four-kilometre coastline – the shortest coastline of any county in Ireland – and is promoted as part of the Wild Atlantic Way.

The coastline might be the shortest in the country, but it punches above its weight, she said. The track is heavily used by locals and visitors to walk down to the beach below, but also by surfers who frequent the area.

“It’s a big surfing area, as well, you know, off the coast there. So there are always surfers as well coming and going.

“It’s supposed to be one of the really best surf spots off the West Coast now.”

The development in the area will continue, as the next step is to get showers and infrastructure at the coast and become an official Failte Ireland focal point for visitors along the Wild Atlantic Way.

“Not all Coastal sites get that,” said Collins. “That will be excellent as well. They can drive tourists coming in this way, and then we can kind of drive them down to Kinlough, and down to Manorhamilton”

Community support for the projects was tremendous from the start, with 95% of people responding to the initial survey, while the community also helped with fundraisers, including selling patches of turf, holding culture nights, lady nights, pony drives, and shows from the likes of Seamus O’Rourke, to get the projects over the line.

“It’s great to have a good committee; without that you get nothing done,” said local councillor Justin Warnock, who was involved in getting the project over the line.

“It has really helped Tullaghan now; that’s why we were overlooked on the Wild Atlantic Way. We didn’t even get a mention on the Wild Atlantic Way; they had Sligo and Donegal, but they didn’t have Leitrim in it at all.

“It was overlooked because there wasn’t much there, but it is a different place now.”