From the archives: Clare Island blueprint was unveiled in 1963
By Tom Gillespie
IN October 1963 a major development plan was announced for Clare Island.
The Connaught Telegraph gave a huge spread to the news, with the heading: Big Clare Island development schemes - €140,000 harbour, new hotel and roads.
The report read: A major step forward is about to be taken, in a very short time, which will transform Clare Island into a paradise for fishermen, a rendezvous for holidaymakers from all over the world, and may bring a new life to the island’s inhabitants.
Big plans for the development of the island - the largest of 365 in Clew Bay - are no longer a dream: they are well advanced and, when completed, will bring prosperity to the island's 225 population.
Through the centuries, long before the time when the famous Grainne Uaile ruled the waves and had Clare Island as her headquarters, the people of the island, which commands an ever-changing scenic view and presents a similar view from the mainland, have toiled and laboured year after year to eke out a living and bring up their families.
Their mode of living, similar to all islanders, has entailed great hardship and now, with a dwindling population, it is heartening to learn that new life is to be instilled into the island.
For the development plans will include:
A major harbour development scheme at the cost of €140,000.
The laying down of new roads to cater for the small motor-powered vehicles on the island and the island dwellers generally.
The revival of the old fishing industry.
The creation of an important deep sea angling centre.
The erection of a new hotel.
A new safe harbour for landing at the mainland at Roonagh Point.
As announced by the Minister for Lands, Mr. Michael O’Morain, some time ago, €140,000 has been allocated for the development of the little island harbour, which has stood the test of time for hundreds of years, but is unsuitable for large fishing boats.
The new scheme includes extending the harbour and deepening it so it will be a suitable base for large fishing trawlers to operate from, and where they can land and embark at low tide, while offering protection from storms.
In the old days the hard-working islanders had fishing as their main industry and the island was a noted place for curing herrings and other fish. And the new harbour scheme will mark the revival of this old industry.
The able-bodied men will go to sea again and the island will be a noted port of call for trawlers, as it is the most central part of Clew Bay for heading out to the fishing grounds.
In recent years many anglers have gone to Clare Island for deep sea fishing holidays and in future years it is visualised that it will be one of the most important resorts on the west coast for lovers of this type of sport, which is rapidly becoming one of the most popular pastimes all over Europe.
One of the oldest landmarks for seafaring men and visitors to the island is McCabe’s Hotel, where visitors have always received a hospitable welcome.
And now work is underway on the erection of a new hotel on the island and it will be ready for opening early next year (1964).
Foreseeing a big increase in the number of tourists coming to the island, Mr. Chris O’Grady, has work well advanced on his new hotel, which is being built on the most modern lines.
He is one of the most experienced seamen on the island and has for years been catering for parties of deep sea anglers.
So with men of his calibre at the helm, it will not be long until the island has a booming sea angling business which will play an important role in building up its economy.
The condition of the roads has been an age-old complaint by the islanders. In fact the three main roads are really not roads at all as they have never been soled.
Just now, however, they are a big topic of discussion on the island as a party of Mayo County Council engineers is due to arrive on the island in a few days to carry out a survey of the roads with a view to having them repaired and bringing them up to the standard of roads on the mainland.
This is very welcome news for the people of the island, who, some years ago, refused to pay rates because they held they were not receiving the same benefits as people on the mainland.
There are a number of Board of Works roads on the island and it is pleasing to note that every effort has been made to keep them in a reasonable state of repair.
The oldest island landmark (apart from Grainne Uaile’s castle), which can be seen for miles around and has been an old friend of seamen for generations, is the lighthouse. Situated on the highest point of the island, it was condemned some years ago because it had no electric power.
Irish Lights now propose to erect a new electric-powered lighthouse on Achill Beg to replace it, but some delay has cropped up in proceeding with the project and pending its completion, the old lighthouse has received a reprieve. So it still lives on and continues to send out its flashes from sundown to sunrise.
While all Mayo public representatives welcome any schemes that will be of benefit to the islanders, one member of Mayo County Council who welcomes the proposed developments in a big way is the island’s nearest representative, Mr. Martin J. O’Toole of Louisburgh.
Mr. O’Toole said that for years he had sought assistance for the people of Clare Island as he was aware of the great hardships that they had to endure.
He said: “I am glad that at last something tangible is being done to relieve the great hardships which the people of the island are suffering and I believe the schemes of development planned will be a great boon to the people and will establish the island as an outstanding tourist attraction as well as a new fishing centre.”
Footnote: Moving on to 2025 and the harbour at Roonagh remains a 'deathtrap'. A new generation, Clare Island native and businessman Carl O'Grady, is leading a campaign to have this critical access point brought up to standard.