We can still save our summer

Faster easing of lockdown will be a lifeline for Westport. June 29 start to holiday season sparks renewed hope

- COLIN BRENNAN

IT is the glimmer of hope that can still save Ireland’s battered tourist season.

The acceleration of the plan to leave lockdown is the lifeline for which popular destinations, such as Westport in Co Mayo, have been waiting.

Until last Friday, hotels were staring at a summer of misery, their plans to welcome customers again pushed back to July 20.

But now the tills and phones will be ringing in just three weeks as cabin-fever punters return in their droves on June 29.

Westport publican Shane Keogh, who runs The Helm with his dad Vinny, has been taking groups of people out on a charter boat each day for sightseeing and fishing.

And he thinks the travel restrictions are making us appreciate the beauty that lies on our doorstep.

Shane told the Irish Mirror: “It has been something good that came out of the lockdown.

“We’re taking out groups of six on the boat. And the weather has been so good in Ireland over the last few weeks.

“Some people living here would have been on boats in Spain but never in Ireland.”

It was very tough for father and son to close their doors on March 15 ahead of the most lucrative time of the year.

Shane said: “We were about to have one of our biggest ever seasons. We do a huge amount of golf tours, we put about 3,000 golfers through here a year.

“We had to let 40 staff go but hopefully we’ll have them all back in the next few weeks.

“It’s not fully clear yet what we’ll have to do in terms of reopening the restaurant and pub.

“If restrictions aren’t eased off some of the smaller pubs mightn’t be able to open at all this year. Some people have been very worried.”