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You are here: Home / Archives for News

Sheep’s Head Shortlisted for Irish Tourism Awards!

March 20, 2015 by Dunmanus

The Sheep’s Head & Bantry Tourism Co-operative has been shortlisted in Ireland’s first ever national Tourism Industry Awards in the best Leisure Tourism Innovation category.

It’s another boost for the small co-op which won silver at the recent Irish Responsible Tourism Awards for its commitment to developing tourism that supports sustainable communities.

The co-op is in illustrious company on the national awards shortlist, with the likes of Guinness Storehouse and Glasnevin Cemetery and Museum also recognised in its category.

“It really is a great achievement for our 100 members, and a tribute to the success of our ‘Living the Sheep’s Head Way’ marketing campaign,” says John Tobin, chair of the group which was established in 2013 to help the area capitalise on the potential of the Wild Atlantic Way.

“It shows what can be achieved when we work together to champion our stunning destination.”

Siobhán Burke, who has led the marketing campaign for the co-op, says that the co-op has built on over 20 years of collaborative effort, which began when local landowners came together to create the Sheep’s Head Way back in the late 1990s. The Sheep’s Head Way is now recognised as one of the premiere walking routes in Europe, and, in 2009, the Sheep’s Head peninsula was designated as a European Destination of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism.

“The community spirit and pride people showed in establishing the walking route continues to inspire everything we’re doing today,” says Siobhán. “All of the business people along the Sheep’s Head Way who have joined with us to help promote the area deserve great credit for their forward-thinking approach, and their willingness to collaborate to achieve great things.”

Among the co-op’s memberss are fellow awards finalists David and Elizabeth Ross who developed Drimoleague’s Top of the Rock Pod Páirc and Walking Centre in an effort to increase the area’s provision for visiting walkers. Their unusual wooden glamping pods offer visitors the year-round opportunity to enjoy modern camping experiences in the setting of a traditional family farm. The Pod Páirc, which is located on the eastern flank of the Sheep’s Head Way is shortlisted -alongside the Cliffs of Moher – in the ‘Best Environmental Tourism Innovation’ category.
Pod Páirc West Cork

“We’re all delighted to reach the finals of these national industry awards,” says Siobhán, “and we’re also proud to be showing that responsible tourism isn’t a worthy but dull thing to be involved in.”

 
 
“A responsible approach is, at its best, a spur to create genuinely excellent tourism that is rewarding for everyone and every place involved in it. That’s certainly what we’re trying to achieve here on our small stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way.”

Over the last two years, the tourism co-op (whose members populate this website!) has benefitted from the support of both the West Cork Development Partnership – also supporter of the Pod Páirc – and Cork County Council. It also draws on member subscriptions to fund its ongoing work.

To join the Sheep’s Head & Bantry Tourism Co-operative, contact Siobhán on 086 303 0991 or email [email protected]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: awards, finalists

Win Tickets to the Legend of Luke Kelly Show!

March 14, 2015 by Dunmanus

To celebrate our success at the Irish Responsible Tourism Awards 2015 we’re giving away two tickets to ‘The Legend of Luke Kelly Show’ on St. Patrick’s Day at The Maritime Hotel Bantry!

The show, performed by Chris Kavanagh, will celebrate the unique voice and songbook of the legendary Luke. Though obviously, given our green credentials, you’ll need to cover your ears for ‘Dirty Old Town’ …

The tickets have been generously donated by The Maritime Hotel Bantry – a Platinum member of TripAdvisor’s Green Leader scheme, and a Gold Medal-accredited member of Ireland’s Green Hospitality Awards. Doors open at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm.

Fill in the form below to enter! The competition closes at 5pm on Sunday 15th March. Winners will be notified by email by 7pm on Sunday 15th March.

Terms and conditions: The tickets are valid for 17th March 2015 at The Maritime only and are non-transferable. No transport or accommodation is included in the prize, so you must be able to get to The Maritime on Tuesday!
 

For a clue, see http://bit.ly/1wE9vZ9

Filed Under: News

Sheep’s Head Wins Silver at Irish Responsible Tourism Awards!

March 13, 2015 by Dunmanus

We’re delighted to say that West Cork’s Sheep’s Head Way was awarded silver in the Best Responsible Tourism Destination category at the Irish Responsible Tourism Awards 2015!

The award recognises our commitment to working together as a community to promote a place we cherish, and sharing it with our visitors in a responsible way.

The Sheep’s Head Way, home to a rich network of walking and cycling trails, finished behind Clare’s Loop Head peninsula – a fellow European Destination of Excellence – to take silver in the ‘Best Responsible Destination’ category.

Irish Responsible Tourism Awards 2015The silver award recognises the work the local community has done to build on the sustainable approach that was employed in the development of the Sheep’s Head peninsula’s renowned walking route in the late 1990s.

The local tourism co-op – the Sheep’s Head & Bantry Tourism Co-operative – has worked hard over the last 2 years to build links between businesses and promote experiences like stone-carving weekends, Wild Atlantic Way cruises, and guided walks that give visitors a real insight into life as its lived ‘the Sheep’s Head Way.’

The Sheep’s Head was delighted to be recognised alongside three other excellent initiatives in West Cork, all hugely popular with visitors to the Sheep’s Head Way.

Atlantic Sea Kayaking was named as outright winner of the awards, and now goes on to represent the best of Irish tourism in the World Responsible Tourism Awards 2015. It’s a fantastic accolade for the business, which also won a Gold Medal in the Best Adventure Activity Provider for Responsible Tourism category.

Jim and Maria Kennedy who established the business in the mid-1990s offer a range of kayaking trips and courses in West Cork and further afield, and they have always placed a concern for the environment at the core of their activities.

‘We’re very proud to be picked to represent Ireland, and the kind of work we do here in West Cork on an international stage’, says Jim. ‘It’s great to see a responsible approach being recognised as something that makes tourism better. It’s certainly something that helps us give our kayakers and walkers a fantastic experience.’

‘We are so fortunate to enjoy and work in one of the most beautiful marine environments in the world. But we know that for others to enjoy this special place, we have to respect and protect it. Every day we’re helping our visitors to recognise not just the beauty but the fragility of the marine environments they’re exploring.’

Nic Slocum of >Whale Watch West Cork who runs whale- and dolphin-watching tours from Baltimore was also honoured at the awards for Best Tour Operator for Responsible Tourism. As well as helping tourists to better understand marine mammals, Nic is committed to helping other businesses treat the environment respectfully, and has established a comprehensive code of conduct for whale watching that has received many accolades.

The Mizen Head Signal Station Visitor Centre which received silver for Best Cultural Heritage Attraction has been drawing visitors to West Cork with its visitor centre which explores the geology of the Mizen. Its keepers’ quarters give an insight into lighthouse life, and the centre’s walk to the signal station over the arched bridge showcases the Mizen’s stunning scenery with the possibility of seeing seals, kittiwakes, gannets and choughs en route.

‘The businesses and destinations being rewarded here have shown a real and long-term commitment to delivering responsible tourism,’ says Siobhán Burke – marketing co-ordinator for the Sheep’s Head & Bantry Tourism Co-op – who addressed international delegates at the Irish Responsible Tourism conference with a talk on ‘Small Business and the Big Picture.’

 
 
‘Tourists don’t necessarily want to know every last detail of how we minimise waste and save energy, but they do care passionately about visiting places which are properly protected and cherished by the people who live there. They want powerful and pure experiences that give them genuine insights into places and communities. That’s what we are always trying to provide here on the Sheep’s Head Way.’

‘It’s fantastic that we were all able to take to the stage in Dublin and show that West Cork can provide those experiences for everyone who visits us here. When we work together and share the best of what we love about where we live,’ adds Siobhán, ‘we’re creating the kind of tourism that is rewarding for everyone involved.’

The awards, which were presented at what was Ireland’s second annual Irish Responsible Tourism conference, look set to become a key fixture in Irish tourism in the years to come.

For more information about the awards, see http://icrt.ie, or contact Siobhán Burke (086) 3030991 to find out more about the Sheep’s Head Way (https://livingthesheepsheadway.com)

Filed Under: News

Sheep’s Head Shortlisted as Best Responsible Tourism Destination!

March 5, 2015 by Dunmanus

Wild Atlantic Way Cork
 

West Cork’s Sheep’s Head Way has been shortlisted for ‘Best Responsible Tourism Destination’ at the upcoming Irish Responsible Tourism Awards 2015

European Destination of ExcellnceThe award recognises places that benefit not just visitors, but the communities and environments they travel to, and the Sheep’s Head has been focused on developing this kind of sustainable tourism for many years.

In the late 1990s, local landowners collaborated to create the 88km Sheep’s Head Way walking route, which begins in Bantry and traces the coastline of the Sheep’s Head peninsula, before heading inland to Gougane Barra on a varied 200km network of walking, cycling and heritage trails.

The area was recognised as a European Destination of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism (an EDEN destination) in 2009, and tourism in the area received a new impetus in 2013 when local businesses came together to form the Sheep’s Head & Bantry Tourism Co-operative. Since then, with the support of the West Cork Development Partnership and Cork County Council, the group has been working to build on the range of visitor experiences available in an area that is as renowned for its artisan foods, heritage, and craft production as it is for its unspoilt beauty.

Visitors can now enjoy experiences like cheese-making workshops at Durrus Cheese, and stone-carving weekends with a local sculptor, as well as pilgrim walks, seaweed cooking classes, and jaunts on electric bikes.

Siobhán Burke of the Sheep’s Head and Bantry Tourism Co-op co-ordinates the area’s marketing campaign and believes that a focus on responsible tourism has energised the community all along the Sheep’s Head Way, contributing to the development of original and high-quality tourism experiences:

 
 
Responsible tourism makes us focus as a community on where we want to be, and what kinds of tourists we want to attract. We invite people who will enjoy exploring our coastline, and discovering its fantastic stories, and we also want to give them the chance to connect with the community here and the way of life we love. That’s why we ask our visitors to try ‘Living the Sheep’s Head Way’, because we’re focused on sharing with them the places and the experiences, the food and the views, that make us love living here.

The Sheep’s Head Way’s claim to be the nation’s most Responsible Tourism Destination was bolstered by three businesses which made it to the longlist stage of the Irish Responsible Tourism Awards: Carbery Sailing was nominated in the Marine & Coastal Category for its Wild Atlantic Way cruises. The Sheep’s Head Producers’ Market was recognised in the Best Food Initiative category, and Top of the Rock Pod Páirc in Drimoleague was also longlisted for its innovative year-round camping accommodation.

The winners of the Irish Responsible Tourism awards will be announced next week at the second annual Irish Responsible Tourism conference. Siobhán Burke will be speaking about the Sheep’s Head’s work on responsible tourism at the event.

Tickets are available on Eventbrite

Find out more about the Sheep’s Head’s Responsible Tourism initiatives.

Filed Under: News

Get Married or Honeymoon in Ireland the Sheep’s Head Way!

February 17, 2015 by Dunmanus

Honeymoon in Ireland
 

In search of Eden for your wedding or honeymoon? Then you’ll find it along West Cork’s Sheep’s Head Way

Travel to West Cork’s unspoilt Sheep’s Head peninsula – a European Destination of Excellence – and enjoy time together in a place that offers romantic moments, adventure, and memories to treasure …

There are fantastic wedding venues to choose from – Gougane Barra and its lovely hotel, Bantry House, Blairscove House and the Maritime and Westlodge hotels too. You’ll find perfect places for your ‘day after celebrations’ on Whiddy Island and at Arundel’s By the Pier.

And there are lots of gorgeous romantic ways to spend time in the area too.

Cycling the Sheep’s Head Way

If you have a taste for adventure, cycling is the ideal way to explore Ireland’s coastline at a leisurely pace and taste its pure salt air. And the Sheep’s Head Way cycling route is the perfect place to start. Choose between traditional bikes and electric versions which give you more time to enjoy the view (bikes can be delivered and collected from your departure point or accommodation). Visit heritage sites and take a local picnic, or stop for lunch in the excellent pubs and cafés along your route.

Sailing on Merlin

For a touch of luxury, spend a day on a luxury yacht, exploring West Cork’s bays on board Carbery Sailing‘s luxury Hallberg-Rassy yacht, Merlin.

Take your turn at the helm, or simply sit back and watch out for the dolphins and minke whales that populate the pristine waters of Bantry and Dunmanus bays.

You can extend your trip to enjoy a bit of West Cork island-hopping too!

Pony Trekking on West Cork’s Coastline

Take a trail ride through ancient woodland to Maggie Murphy’s cottage, and you’ll be rewarded with stunning views over West Cork’s Atlantic coastline. Ride with Bantry Bay Pony Trekking’s experienced guides, and you’ll get careful attention and support, as well as fantastic photo opportunities!

You’ll climb gently above the tree line where the hand-built paths cross heather and gorse hillside. Enjoy a canter, or simply take in the sights and sounds to be had in this unspoilt landscape. When you reach Maggie Murphy’s cottage there are wonderful views down Bantry and Dunmanus bays.

Kayaking

Kayak on the peaceful and sheltered waters of West Cork’s Dunmanus Bay and explore the scenic coastline of the stunning Sheep’s Head peninsula. Take a relaxing paddle and discover the scenery and wildlife of Ahakista’s harbour, or explore the islands and inlets along the peninsula’s coastline, and you’ll be making memories to treasure.

Walking the Sheep’s Head Way

The famous Sheep’s Head Way walking route leads you along the coastline of the Sheep’s Head peninsula to the lighthouse at its tip. Look out for dolphins as you walk, and take in views over the Mizen and Beara peninsulas, as well as Bere Island and Whiddy Island.

Whichever path you take, and whether you walk alone or have the company of a Sheep’s Head Way walking guide, you’ll find yourself inspired by the beauty of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic coastline.

As you walk, you’ll discover traces of Ireland’s past from holy wells to megalithic tombs. You can even take an early opportunity to renew your vows by joining hands through the ancient marriage stone at Caherurlagh.

Bantry House and Gougane Barra are among the most prestigious West Cork wedding venues, but they’re great destinations for a romantic honeymoon day out too!

Places To Stay

If you’ve opted to get married at Bantry House or the chapel on the lake at Gougane Barra, or if you’re escaping to Ireland for your honeymoon, you’ll be looking for somewhere fabulous to stay.

Choose the manor house experience at Seaview House Hotel or the stately home elegance of Bantry House. Opt for peace by the lake at the cosy Gougane Barra Hotel, or escape to Blairscove House & Restaurant, on the shores of Dunmanus Bay. Blairscove has just won Georgina Campbell’s 2015 award for ‘outstanding guest experience’, and it’s a haven for honeymooners.

The boutique B&B at Gallán Mór on the Sheep’s Head peninsula is building a reputation as a fabulous place for romantic retreats (and its garden hot tub has to be experienced!).

Luxury self-catering options are available at Blairscove House, Gallán Mór, Carbery Guest Lodge, and Ahakista Escape.

There are lots more great places to stay, and savour the flavours of the Sheep’s Head Way too.

If you’re looking for more ideas for your West Cork honeymoon, we’ll be delighted to matchmake you with some great experiences!

Contact Siobhán on 086 303 0991 / [email protected] for great travel tips!

Filed Under: News

Sheep’s Head Named as Destination of the Year

January 3, 2015 by Dunmanus

The Sheep’s Head peninsula has been named as ‘Destination of the Year’ by the prestigious John and Sally McKenna Guides

The McKennas – authors of the hugely successful Where to Eat and Stay along the Wild Atlantic Way – have established themselves as experts on the food and experiences on offer along the Wild Atlantic Way touring route.

Their passion for fantastic local food, convivial company, and dramatic landscapes has made their guides a great source of information for anyone planning a holiday in Ireland, and their coveted plaques mark out the very best places to experience Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

For 2015, the McKenna’s have singled out the Sheep’s Head peninsula as a must-see destination for the discerning traveller keen to discover the real Ireland. They praise the great food on offer along the Sheep’s Head Way, as well as the quality of the Sheep’s Head as a destination for visitors looking to enjoy activity tourism.

“With a clutch of excellent places to stay and eat, the Sheep’s Head is recognised as a great destination that offers unparalleled walking experiences,” explain the McKennas.

European Destination of ExcellnceThe Sheep’s Head – recognised as a European Destination of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism in 2009 – is home to a world-renowned 88km coastal walking route, and walkers, sailors and cyclists are drawn to this genuinely unspoilt and peaceful peninsula which sits between its better-known neighbours – the Mizen and the Beara peninsulas – offering fantastic views over Dunmanus and Bantry Bays as well as the West Cork islands.

The Sheep’s Head has developed a great reputation with foodies who are drawn to the area by local delicacies like Durrus Cheese, Bantry Bay mussels, and Glenilen butters and yoghurts.

Stand-out restaurants like Good Things Café and Blairscove House are also drawing visitors to the area, with Blairscove securing Georgina Campbell’s award for Outstanding Visitor Experience in 2014. The growth in tourism ha also seen new projects developing, and 2014 saw the rebirth of Kilcrohane Creamery as a home to a restauraunt focused on local food, and home to the Sheep’s Head Producers’ market and shop.

“The award is a great tribute to the community here, and to the thoughtful way tourism has been developed in our area”, says Siobhán Burke of the Sheep’s Head & Bantry Tourism Co-operative. “The businesses along the Sheep’s Head Way are working together to create fantastic experiences for visitors, while preserving the wonderful environment we’re blessed with and sharing it in imaginative ways. It’s wonderful to see that those efforts are being rewarded.”

“The Wild Atlantic Way has been a welcome boost, helping to draw visitors out to areas like ours,” agrees John Tobin, chair of the local tourism co-op. “An award like this shows that communities along the Western seaboard benefit from that boost most when they celebrate what makes them unique.”

Plan your stay along the Sheep’s Head Way at https://livingthesheepsheadway.com

Filed Under: News

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Bantry House B&B

The Sheep’s Head is a peninsula rich in history and you’ll find traces of its past all along the Sheep’s Head Way walking route.

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Carbery Sailing

Carbery Sailing

At Carbery Sailing on the Sheep’s Head peninsula, we offer RYA-approved sailing courses and chartered sailing trips along Ireland’s beautiful Atlantic coastline Our sailing school is based in Ahakista on West Cork’s Sheep’s Head peninsula – a European Destination of Excellence. All of our sailing courses take place on our Hallberg Rassy 46 yacht ‘Merlin’. […]

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Pondlodge Cottages

Pondlodge Cottages

Enjoy a self-catering holiday at the Pondlodge Cottages in the beautiful grounds of Bantry’s Westlodge Hotel These nine self-catering holiday cottages are set in beautifully landscaped gardens in the scenic surroundings of Bantry, County Cork. The hotel, which is just a short stroll away, boasts dining options, a health and leisure centre, therapeutic treatments and […]

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This project has been supported by Cork County Council & the LEADER programme under the Rural Development Programmes 2007-13 and 2017-2021.
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