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Tourist News - 25/04/2000

Ferry service shall operate this summer - claim

Last year it had been decided to end the Ballycastle - Campbeltown ferry service to the disappointment of tourists and locals alike. Offering an alternate more scenic route between Scotland and Ireland the ferry service it was claimed was not commercially viable and would cross for the last time at the end of last summer.
Councillor Chris McCaughan has claimed this week that the ferry service shall indeed operate this coming summer. He has received firm assurances from colleagues in both Donegal and Scotland that the ferry was on it's way back and he expects that an official announcement is imminent. The underlying reason that the service was originally put on hold was due to the lack of political activity since Stormont stood down, now the mechanism has been released which will allow money that has been held back to be given for this.

Lammas Fair changes

Recommendations from the Lammas Fair working group have been made to cease the Street Entertainer competition that runs over the two days of the fair due to the proliferation of 'amplified musicians'. They also felt that the prize money would be much better spent financing professional street artists such as puppeteers. After some debate however it was decided by the council 8-3 that the motion be denied at present.
Councillors did however go on to agree that another recommendation by the group that transport for the less able from car parks be provided.

EU peace money for Rathlin Island

Rathlin has received a financial boost of Ł17,000 from the Rural Development Council through the EU Peace and Reconciliation Programme. The money will be used directly to improve and introduce new skills to the residents in the how of culling the exodus of young people from the island. The island that is visited by about 10,000 tourists yearly will introduce woodturning, silversmithing, spinning and weaving. Plans to introduce hill walking, cycling, rock climbing, water-skiing and windsurfing are afoot as we speak.