THE DURSEY ISLAND cable car has been officially reopened.
The Dursey Island cable car is the only one in Ireland and was originally opened on 5 December 1969. It had been closed since last March and a €1.6 million upgrade – which was needed for safety reasons – has been carried out by Cork County Council.
Farmers who have cattle on the island have campaigned for the cable car to be reopened, and even warned in winter that their animals could face starvation if delays went on in the long-term.
The island itself has long been one of West Cork’s most prized tourist attractions thanks to the cable car, which has attracted holiday makers and thrill seekers alike to the Beara Peninsula.
The cable car can accommodate six passengers with the trip of 374 metres taking seven and a half minutes each way.
Reopening the cable car today, Mayor of the County of Cork, Councillor Danny Collins, said it “is truly unique and holds immense historical and cultural significance for the people of Cork county”.
“This service is not only an important transport link but also a cherished attraction that adds to the natural beauty and tourism potential of our region,” Collins said.
Cork County Council, which operates and manages the cable car, conducted a structural assessment of the system in 2016 and found that the support towers would reach the end of their operational life in the early 2020s.
Annual inspections were conducted to comply with safety regulations, but the severe strain experienced during Storm Barra in December 2021, combined with the metal towers reaching end of life, necessitated immediate remediation works.
The council decided to undertake a full replacement of the support towers and in early 2022, Roughan O’Donovan Consulting Engineers and contractor TLI Group were appointed to oversee the project.
The project involved the full replacement of the 24-metre tower structures and the island anchor frame.
During the decommissioning phase, a magnetic scan revealed degeneration of the track and haul ropes, all of which have now been replaced.
West Cork TD Chris O’ Sullivan said earlier that the reopening of the cable car is good news for West Cork as the summer season kicks off:
“This is a long time coming, it will bring a large sigh of relief from locals and to visitors to the beara peninsula, who can enjoy one of Ireland’s most unique islands and one of Ireland’s most unique experiences – crossing over to the island on the cable car.
“A big well done to the local community for campaigning for this, I look forward to using it myself over the summer,” he said.
With reporting by Eimer McAuley
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