Plans to develop Lahinch into a seaside resort for family holidays.
The town of Lahinch climbs the promontory over the mile long strand where the Cullenagh River flows into Liscannor Bay, on the northwest coast of County Clare.
Lahinch is in close proximity to the tourist attractions the Cliffs of Moher, the Lisdoonvarna Spa and the Burren. Originally it was its golf-links that brought visitors to the area, but Lahinch's position in the centre of west Clare means it is a great base for families who wish to stay for a couple of weeks and visit surrounding beaches
Who do not want the mechanised amusements of a Blackpool.
In order to further develop the family holiday market in the area, the Lahinch Development Association Limited has been set up with local hotelier Mícheál Vaughan as its chairman.
Mícheál says the Association was set up through a grant from Bord Fáilte and they have also received a number of grants to extend the promenade. Over a three year period they received a total of £9,000 which extended the promenade and built a car park.
He believes the visible increase in tourism justifies the grants they received.
The increase in day traffic, day trippers to the village has been very, very noticeable over the past number of years but in the actual increase of visitors, foreign visitors and that, is quite high and the season has already begun to extend itself.
The full season lasts 14 week and starts at the end of June and lasts until mid September. He hopes to see this season extended from mid May to 1 October.
Future plans are focused on the development of wet weather amenities such as an enclosed swimming pool, a recreation hall with a cafe, a cinema and a games room. In the evenings there is little by way of entertainment in Lahinch as it is primarily a family and golf resort. If visitors staying in Lahinch wish to go dancing in the evening, they tend to go to Lisdoonvarna.
During the off season Mícheál Lynch thinks the people of Lahinch,
Spend their time mostly in checking up on each other, on their movements and habits, or what they have gone through during the summer, an analysis of how the season has been and finally very, very busily getting ready for the following season.
This episode of ‘Broadsheet’ was broadcast on 20 May 1963. The narrator is Christopher Fitzsimon. The reporter is Lelia Doolan.
