A RESOLUTION has been reached to reopen the iconic round tower on Devenish Island which has been closed to visitors since the start of the year.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has this week confirmed that Enniskillen businessman Stephen Nixon will resume the service which it stopped due to “budgetary pressures.” The ancient monastic site was founded in the sixth century by Saint Molaise on one of Lough Erne’s islands and is a hugely popular tourist attraction. But earlier this year the NIEA’s ferry service from Troy ceased operating and the tower was closed much to the disappointment of visitors.

DUP MLA Arlene Foster, the former tourism minister, said visitors to the island have been left “very disappointed that they have not been able to access the most iconic symbol of Fermanagh.” Despite all of this, access to the island by the public has been permitted and has continued throughout the year, mostly via Erne Tours, which is owned by Mr. Nixon and based at the Round ‘O’.

“It is the tower that people have not been able to access,” added Mrs. Foster. “This is because the Department [of Regional Development] have been quoting budgetary pressures. There are two ways to skin a cat. I have been in touch with them to seek a resolution and unusually for the NIEA they have agreed to do something practical.” In a statement to The Impartial Reporter on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the NIEA stated that Devenish Island is “an open site and is accessible to all.” “While the Departmental ferry from Trory Point has been unable to run this summer, there are other means of access, including private boats and public ferry services running from Enniskillen. In addition DOE has entered into a partnership arrangement with the operator of the MV Kestrel, who has agreed to open the tower so that visitors may view the interior of the tower from the first floor.” Mr. Nixon, who runs MV Kestrel, has welcomed the news, telling this newspaper yesterday: “Having already been working successfully in partnership with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency for the past nine years regarding tours to Devenish Island we are delighted to step in, and help out as far as we possibly can to ensure our visitors to Fermanagh continue to enjoy this ancient site with as little disruption to the facilities as possible.” Devenish Island had been owned by Baroness Elizabeth Rose but was later bequeathed to the Kilravock Christian Trust in Inverness. Miss Rose, who died in 2012, was considered the inspiration behind the creation of the Trust in 1971 and according to its website, “was committed to the continued use of the Trust’s assets in providing a clear, evangelical Christian witness.” It is believed by some that the Prophet Jeremiah is buried on Devenish Island, though this has been refuted by some academics.