West Cork Leader Funding Programmes – Bandon grants

I am always curious about funding, grants etc and who is lucky enough to get them so here is what I have discovered about West Cork Leader that might interest some people.

There are four Bandon enterprises listed below which have received grants totalling around euro 120,000 namely

• the defunct tourist office on the Glaslynn Road which is owned by the Bandon Chamber of Commerce and which got just under euro 10,000. It’s a travesty that the Tourist Office now sites idle and somewhat derelict. The gutters are now falling off the building. What a waste of a good site!
• the Bandon Leisure Centre on the by pass. It beats me how the Bandon Leisure Centre managed to qualify under the heading ‘a quality tourism product’ and extract a whacking great euro 50,000 grant out of Leader. I can’t send any of my guests there as they have fixed term membership. Am I missing something?
• The Bandon Anglers got 7,900 for river development.
• John Hosford got a juicy euro 50,000 for his exhibition gardens!

Here is what West Cork Leader sets out to do:-

Under the heading of rural tourism, West Cork Leader provides assistance with and promotion of the development of a quality tourism product with emphasis on niche markets or special interest tourism. It has also provided funding for the implementation of a market strategy for each of the distinct marketable regions with the area of operation.

West Cork Leader encourages the achievement of economies of scale through effective use of cooperative marketing.

It provides assistance for the targeting of higher spending and/or longer stay visitors from identified source markets.

It looks at projects achieving a balance between the demands of the local community with the competing interest of external visitors and tourism operators.

Full details of all the projects supported to date and the amounts allocated can be found on West Cork Leaders website www.westcorkleader.ie/ruraltou.html. Other Projects supported under Rural Tourism include:-

PROJECT PROMOTER	LOCATION	PROJECT DESCRIPTION
West Cork Tourism	West Cork	Holiday world ‘96
John Hosford	Bandon	Exhibition Gardens
Bantry Bay ‘96	Bantry	Marketing
Schull Development Association	Schull	Development of Slipway
Lee Valley Enterprise Board	Macroom	Tourism Marketing
West Cork Tourism	West Cork	In-store promotion – Tallaght
Maggie Gliksten	Oysterhaven	Diving
Schull Backpackers Lodge	West Cork	Brochure design production & distribution for hostels
West Cork LEADER Co-op.	West Cork, Ownabue Valley	Holiday World ‘97
West Cork LEADER Co-op.	West Cork, Ownabue Valley	Holiday Ireland ‘97
West Cork Tourism	West Cork	Events Calendar
Jim Kennedy	Union Hall	Kayaks & associated equipment
West Cork Tourism	West Cork	Travel Trade attendance
Maggie Gliksten	Oysterhaven	Purchase of boat
Crookhaven Community Assoc.	Crookhaven	Marina Development
Macroom Jarveys	Macroom	Jarvey Service
River Ilen Anglers	Skibbereen	Angling
Darren Stock	Durrus	Development of Tropical House
Diamuid Minihane	Baltimore	Boat purchase
West Cork Tourism	Skibbereen	Instore Promotion/dun Laoghaire
West Cork Tourism	Skibbereen	Walking Festival
West Cork Tourism	Skibbereen	Marketing
West Cork Tourism	Skibbereen	Holiday World ‘98
Bandon Anglers Club	Bandon	River Development
Eagle Point	Ballylickey	Caravan site development
Baltimore Diving & Watersports	Baltimore	Purchase of boat & compressor
Argideen Anglers Assoc.	Timoleague	Disabled Access for anglers
Noel Walsh	Bantry	P&P clubhouse & course development
Sean Beechnor	Kinsale	Boat purchase
West Cork Tourism	Skibbereen	Consumer Shows Abroad
Pat & Bernadette Crowley	Kinsale	Development of Music School
Destination West Cork	Schull	Brochure
Rosscarbery Community Council	Rosscarbery	Development of playground & amenity area
West Cork Tourism	Skibbereen	West Cork Brochure
West Cork Garden Trail	Durrus	Brochure
West Cork Tourism	Skibbereen	Calendar of Events ‘98
James Dowling	Glengarriff	Caravan and camping park
Con Cadogan	Drimoleague	Self-catering accomodation
Macroom Pitch and Putt	Macroom	Facilities and equipment
Rosscarbery Pitch and Putt	Rosscarbery	Construction of two tennis courts
Aquaventures	Baltimore	Dive centre
Clonakilty Enterprise Board	Clonakilty	Visitor park development
Glengarriff Bamboo Park	Glengarriff	Tropical visitor garden
Miah O’Sullivan	Castletownbere	Self-catering accomodation
West Cork Tourism	Skibbereen	Marketing
Beara Tourism and Development Assoc.	Castletownbere	Water activities centre
Hungry Hill Hostel Ltd.	Adrigole	Tourist hostel
Kevin Heapes	Ballydehob	Establishment of golf school
West Cork Garden Trail	Durrus	Brochure update
Croi na Laoi	Inchigeelagh	Purchase of 5 boats and marketing
Bernie Coughlan	Ballydehob	Self-catering accomodation
Inniscarra Pitch and Putt Club	Inniscarra	Development of facilities
Actionpak Outdoor Activities Ltd.	Kinsale	Development of ATV adventure course
West Cork Sailing Centre Ltd.	Adrigole	Development of sailing school
Nora and Finbarr Herlihy	Inchigeelagh	Upgrade of bed and breakfast
Ballygarvan Pitch and Putt	Ballygarvan	Purchase of maintainance equipment
Kilmichael Pitch and Putt	Kilmichael	Upgrading facilities
Schull Development Association	Schull	Outdoor pursuits centre
Newcestown Pitch and Putt	Newcestown	Development of pitch and putt course
Courmacsherry Sailing and Leisure	Courtmacsherry	Development of sailing school
Macroom Pitch and Putt	Macroom	Purchase of equipment
Michael Williams	Skibbereen	Self-catering and purchase of boats
Mizen Vision	Goleen	Visitor centre
John W O’Sullivan	Allihies	Self-catering
Twelve Arch Hostel Ltd	Ballydehob	Tourist hostel
Crookhaven Harbour Sailing Club	Crookhaven	Development of clubhouse
Maritime Tourism Ltd.	Kinsale	Purchase of 6 boats
West Cork Coastal Cruises	Cape Clear	Purchase of boat for island cruising
Halfway Vintage Club	Halfway	Purchase of steam engine
Beara Tourism Development Assoc	Castletownbere	Development of cycling route
Seven Heads Millenium Walk	Barryroe	Development of walk route
Jim and Marie Lucey	Bandon	Bandon Leisure Centre
Noel & Elaine Spillane	Kilcrohane	Development of self-catering accomodation
Edward Sheehan	Allihies	Self catering accomodation
Co-Action Beara	Castletownbere	Visitor centre
Sheep’s Head Walk Dev. Comm.	Durrus	Development of loop walks
Sandscove Fishing Club	Ardfield	Development of slipway
Ahinagh Heritge Group	Ahinagh	Development of drive and cycle routes
Owenabue Valley Co-op	Carrigaline	Tourist information centre
The Briery Gap Theatre	Macroom	Theatre equipment
Carriganima Community Dev Assoc	Carriganima	Signage, brochure & video
Bantry Tidy Towns	Bantry	Installation of millwheel
Irish Amateur Rowing Union	Inniscarra	Development of facilities
Lee Valley Tourism	Macroom	Tourism Brochure
Bandon Chamber of Commerce	Bandon	Tourism Information Centre