Donegal County Council has announced that the €4.6 million Rathmullan Pier Refurbishment Project has commenced.

The renovation project is being financed through the Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme 2022-2023, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, amounting to €3.8 million. Donegal County Council is contributing the remaining funds.

This project has been called a momentous development for Donegal and the North-West by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue. During a visit to Rathmullan he met Donegal County Council officials overseeing the project and the contractors who secured the tender for the works. Mr McConalogue said: "Upgrading local piers and harbours was a key priority for me when I was appointed minister in 2020, so to see this project getting underway is fantastic. The refurbishment of Rathmullan Pier was first sounded 30 years ago, so I am delighted to see it starting.

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"Up until now, the functionality of Rathmullan Pier has been limited. But when this overhaul is finished, it will allow Rathmullan to realise and enjoy its full potential. Small cruise boats used the pier back in the sixties and seventies and when Rathmullan Pier reopens after the refurbishment works, more development can happen because the pier will be structurally safe.

"There's always a great vibe about Rathmullan and having spoken to local traders and business owners, they enjoyed a busy Easter. The local people and community groups are fully behind the project and the contractors are working extremely well with them and facilitating them as much as possible.

"When completed, the revamped pier will attract a larger volume of tourists to the famous seaside town and to surrounding towns and villages. The start of the project is a momentous development, not only for Rathmullan, but also for Donegal and the North-West region."

The port stands as the sole facility offering a sheltered berth suitable for vessels weighing up to 5,000 tonnes and measuring up to 100 meters in length, with a draught capability of up to eight meters. Rathmullan is a pelagic species landing port and is also used by the nearby salmon aquaculture industry for harvesting salmon and for transfer of smolt from Scotland and Norway. A seasonal ferry service operates from Rathmullan to Buncrana and the viaduct also provides access to a seasonal marina facility where angling charters depart throughout summer months.

The original pier at Rathmullan traces back to the early 1800s, with the current pierhead reconstructed in 1957 by the Office of Public Works, amounting to a cost of £100,000. This renovation aimed to facilitate the import and export of goods to Donegal. Subsequently, in 1958, the construction of the potato store took place on the site of the present-day car park.

Photo: Clive Wasson