Research Rural Development

Case Study: Portumna, Ireland
Client: EU Rural Developments Initiative
Sector: Research
Status: Closed

Research statement

Much of Ireland’s rural development is limited by the calibre of the land and the cost/profit ratio of construction. In 2010, 64% of Ireland’s land area was utilised by agriculture and 10.8% for forestry, which provided €8-9 billion to the economy through export (currently twice the EU average GDP from primary farming). This places a high value on the available land for development.

This research project was initiated to investigate the viability of development in rural wetlands while understanding their wildlife and highly sensitive ecosystems. Based around a feasibility study on a site in Portumna, Co. Galway and utilising case studies from around the world, a framework for future development in wetlands was established with links to influence EU Regional Development Directives. This project was in partnership with Taina Rikala, University of Ulster and Barry Todd.

At 240 miles long, The River Shannon - an tSionainn in Irish Gaelic - is Ireland’s longest river. The river rises in an area called the Shannon Pot in the Cuilcagh Mountains of County Cavan and travels south towards it’s 70 mile estuary just outside the City of Limerick, before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.

The river is shallow, not rising more than 250 feet above sea level at it’s highest point meaning it has never seen much in the way of heavy, industrial shipping, this fact coupled with it’s routes’ sparcely populated towns and little in the way of industry, makes for a healthy and unpolluted river that is well stocked with fish, particularly Trout, Salmon, Bream and Pike. Because the river is so shallow it is only served by 6 locks and 6 swing bridge locks along it’s entire route.

The river feeds 13 lakes or loughs and traverses through 11 of Ireland’s counties, forming one of Ireland’s largest waterways systems, that covers an area of just over 1/5th of Ireland’s entire landmass.
The river has 11 tributaries including the Rivers Suck, Erne and Brosna and links with 8 canals, the largest of these being the Grand Canal which connects to the River Liffey in Dublin and the Royal Canal which also passes through Dublin.

The 13 loughs which the River Shannon feeds includes the 45 square mile Lough Derg in the south of the country and the 11 mile long Lough Allen and Lough Ree in the north of the country.

It is spanned by 20 bridges - 3 of which are in the one city, Limerick - the oldest of which is the Shannon Bridge in County Offaly, a stone built, multi arched bridge, completed in 1757.

The areas that surround the River Shannon are a haven for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers, with activities on offer such as river, lough and canal cruises, hill walking, cycling, horse riding, fishing and a myriad of watersports.

A series of mapping datasets were carried out identifying the potential for sites along this watercourse and forming a framework which could be used to inform regional directives across Europe to improve the opportunities for rural development without impacting on agriculturally valuable lands.