Underwater Museum / Músaem Faoi Uisce

We are conducting a feasibility study into the possibility of an underwater museum with funding provided by Mayo North-East LEADER through Mayo LAG.

The first of its kind in Ireland, the underwater museum would use Irish maritime-themed statues as a diving attraction with the main dive site based off the North Mayo coastline. The new facility would be an innovative tourism product with the potential to attract many visitors to the region.

We hope to model the project in Killala Bay in a similar way to the Museo Atlantico in Lanzarote. In Lanzarote, they have incorporated Spanish and Mediterranean history. For example, they have an artist’s impression of the ‘Crossing of the Rubicon by Julius Caesar’. It is a striking scene and it is located in shallow water that isn’t too dangerous or deep for beginner divers.

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Here is a link to the inspirational underwater museum in Lanzarote: https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g652121-d9773641-Reviews-Museo_Atlantico_Underwater_Museum-Playa_Blanca_Lanzarote_Canary_Islands.html

We would hope to incorporate Irish maritime history in a similar way and the whole idea is to attract tourism to northeast Mayo. Mayo is a maritime county with a long rugged coastline and there are features of natural beauty to go and see under the water. The aim of this project is to try and enhance this so even more divers will come here to see artistic interpretative features and statues.

It is important to capitalise on the popularity of Mayo as a location for those who are interested in underwater activities. Divers already come here from the likes of Mullingar, Donegal and Waterford. They drive through Ballina and out to Killala and get on a boat to go diving. This project would be located off Kilcummin Pier so there would be no need for big boats. They would swim out 50 or 60 metres and submerge themselves into this museum. We would hope this has a knock-on effect to boost tourism in the region and, in particular, in the Kilcummin area. While the study has been going well thus far, the project itself is still in its very early stages, but there is plenty of enthusiasm locally.

Táimid ag déanamh staidéar féidearthachta ar an bhféidearthacht go mbeadh músaem faoi uisce le maoiniú curtha ar fáil ag LEADER Oirthuaisceart Mhaigh Eo trí LAG Mhaigh Eo. An chéad cheann dá leithéid in Éirinn, d’úsáidfeadh an músaem faoi uisce dealbha mara Éireannacha mar ábhar tumadóireachta agus an príomhshuíomh tumadóireachta lonnaithe amach ó chósta thuaidh Mhaigh Eo. Táirge turasóireachta nuálaíoch a bheadh san áis nua agus d’fhéadfadh go leor cuairteoirí a mhealladh chuig an réigiún. Bheimis ag súil leis an tionscadal i gCuan Chill Ala a shamhaltú ar bhealach cosúil leis an Museo Atlantico i Lanzarote. I Lanzarote, tá stair na Spáinne agus na Meánmhara ionchorpraithe acu. Mar shampla, tá tuiscint ealaíontóra acu ar ‘Trasnú an Rubicon le Julius Caesar’. Is radharc iontach é agus é suite in uisce éadomhain nach bhfuil ró-chontúirteach ná ró-dhomhain do thumadóirí bunrang.

Bheimis ag súil stair mhuirí na hÉireann a ionchorprú ar an mbealach céanna agus is é an smaoineamh iomlán ná turasóireacht a mhealladh go dtí oirthuaisceart Mhaigh Eo. Is contae muirí é Maigh Eo le cósta fada garbh agus tá gnéithe den áilleacht nádúrtha le dul agus le feiceáil faoin uisce. Is é aidhm an tionscadail seo iarracht a dhéanamh é seo a fheabhsú ionas go dtiocfaidh níos mó tumadóirí anseo chun gnéithe agus dealbha léirmhínithe ealaíne a fheiceáil. Tá sé tábhachtach leas a bhaint as an éileamh atá ar Mhaigh Eo mar shuíomh dóibh siúd ar spéis leo gníomhaíochtaí faoi uisce. Tagann tumadóirí anseo cheana féin ó leithéidí an Mhuilinn Chearr, Dhún na nGall agus Phort Láirge. Tiomáineann siad trí Bhéal an Átha agus amach go Cill Ala agus téann siad ar bhád le dul ag tumadóireacht. Bheadh an tionscadal seo lonnaithe amach ó Ché Chill Chuimín agus mar sin ní bheadh gá le báid mhóra. Shnámhfaidís amach 50 nó 60 méadar agus chuadar féin isteach sa mhúsaem seo. Bheimis ag súil go mbeadh iarmhairt aige seo chun borradh a chur faoin turasóireacht sa réigiún agus, go háirithe, i gceantar Chill Chuimín. Cé go bhfuil ag éirí go maith leis an staidéar go dtí seo, tá an tionscadal féin fós ina chéimeanna an-luath, ach tá neart díograise ann go háitiúil.