FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council and Cavan County Council have successfully secured close to £420,000/€474,000 in LEADER funding through a cross-Border cooperation project.

Additional funding of 25 per cent will be provided by the councils to fund works in their respective jurisdiction for their collaborative project aimed at enhancing the visitor experience around Cuilcagh Mountain – a focal point of the Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark (MACUGG).

Both councils are responsible for the joint management of the geopark and share a common commitment to enhance the visitor experience around Cuilcagh Mountain which has seen significant growth in visitor numbers,

The area has a concentration of attractions including the Marble Arch Caves, the Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail – popularised as 'the Stairway to Heaven’ – and Tullydermot Falls.

This project will deliver significant improvements through infrastructural developments including upgrades to the existing visitor amenity at Killykeeghan Nature Reserve, and additional car parking spaces.

Further upgrades at Altchcullion Viewpoint, Tullydermott Falls, Bellavalley and Cuilcagh Lowlands Walking Trail will include upgrades of existing amenity sites, car parking, signage and trail development.

In addition to physical infrastructure, this LEADER project will facilitate the development of a new brand identity for the MACUGG, including the delivery of a PR and Marketing Plan.

A new website will also be delivered to support promotion and marketing of the geopark, including Cuilcagh Mountain.

The final project element includes the delivery of a pilot Sustainability Training Programme to businesses located within the geopark, with engagement with the local business community a key priority for the MACUGG in driving sustainable economic development within the geopark.

The Chair of the Fermanagh and Omagh Local Action Group, Cllr Allan Rainey, said: "I am delighted that Fermanagh and Omagh Local Action Group has invested in this co-operation project.

"The partnership between the councils has enabled the exchange and sharing of ideas and experiences, ensuring a dynamic and efficient approach.

"Cuilcagh [Mountain], and the surrounding visitor attractions, have become very popular destinations for visitors and tourists and these developments will further enhance their experience.”

Work has commenced across all project elements, with an expected completion date set for March.

Commenting on the cooperative project, Cllr John Paul Feeley, Chair of the Geopark Committee, said: “Protecting this special landscape whilst making Cuilcagh accessible to the public for their enjoyment is our shared objective.

"The collaboration between all stakeholders in securing this funding is a wonderful example of what can be achieved through cross-Border cooperation.

"When project works are completed, it will not only improve the marketing of Cuilcagh [Mountain] as a visitor attraction, but it will greatly enhance the overall visitor experience to the Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark.”