Park & ride shuttle service a boost for West Cork tourism.

BY KIERAN O’MAHONY AND JACKIE KEOGH

WEST Cork Connect operator Damien Long has revealed that reaction to his plans for The Viaduct site have been ‘overwhelmingly positive’.

The Skibbereen entrepreneur, who bought the iconic venue on the outskirts of Cork city for in excess of €2m, said it ‘ticked every box’ for him when he found out it was for sale.

The move has been described as a gamechanger for people travelling to the city and Dublin airport, as well as city dwellers looking to enjoy a day out in Cork.

Damien plans to provide a shuttle bus service every 30 minutes from early morning to midnight connecting the Viaduct to CUH, Wilton, UCC, the Mercy Hospital, Cork city centre and Kent Station.

‘The minute I saw it on Daft.ie I knew straight away that this was for me,’ he told The Southern Star. ‘I have a licence for a bus route into Cork city and I really wanted a place where people could park in a safe location with facilities.

‘The reaction from people to my plans has been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve never seen people so positive.’

If approved for planning the plaza on a three-acre site will include a new park & ride into Cork city.

‘It will almost be a place for West Cork people to call their own and they can stop off, have a coffee or use the toilets,’ said Damien. ‘They will be able to park there, hop on a bus to Dublin without going into Cork city centre.’

He said the current building will remain as it is because it’s laid out perfectly for his ambitious plans, which include a restaurant with two to three different food vendors.

The roadside venue will be completely reimagined into a modern plaza, similar to those on motorway routes, with a bar and 24-hour convenience shop.

Consultants are on board to oversee any planning application and Damien is confident that the new Dublin bus service can operate from there by the October bank holiday weekend.

‘We could run a bus of out there as it is now and we have the parking spaces too. When people book their bus ticket they can also book their parking ticket. This will be a safe and well-lit area with plenty of facilities for commuters.’

Damien predicted the hub will be huge for tourism in West Cork as visitors will be able to travel directly to West Cork for the first time.

He said he plans to request a dedicated bus lane from the Viaduct into Cork city centre for West Cork Connect from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

West Cork Connect, which started up six years ago now has 55 buses in its fleet and carries an average of 1,800 passengers on its low fare daily bus services.

When he first announced his big news late last week Damien said: ‘There has been an enormous amount of work behind the scenes to get this over the line, and I’m over the moon to finally share this massive news.

‘This is an extremely proud day… to me, The Viaduct marks the gateway to West Cork. When you pass through those arches, you know you’re nearly home.

‘It’s such an iconic structure that we even incorporated it into our logo when we started West Cork Connect back in 2019.’

Cliste Hospitality issued a statement confirming the sale of The Viaduct Restaurant to Dave Long Coach Travel Ltd and the fact that Monday, May 25th is their last day.

In the meantime, The Viaduct restaurant will continue to welcome guests as normal.

The former owners said: ‘All existing bookings will be honoured in full. This includes all upcoming Communion and Confirmation celebrations, with guests assured that their plans will proceed exactly as arranged. Gift vouchers will also continue to be accepted and can be redeemed in full prior to closing.

‘The management team at The Viaduct wish to sincerely acknowledge the commitment and professionalism of the team, past and present, whose contribution has been central to the restaurant’s success, as well as their loyal customers.