Mooney: Derry must kick on from Clipper and fully realise River Foyle's potential

Derry needs to build on the success of the Clipper race and Foyle Maritime Festival which have demonstrated the huge potential of the river Foyle as a civic asset.
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That's according to SDLP Councillor for the Waterside Sean Mooney who was speaking after the arrival of the Clipper Race fleet attracted huge numbers of visitors to the city.

He called for council to explore further opportunities to get the most out of being situated on the banks of the River Foyle.

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Councillor Mooney said: “Our city has a rich maritime history and I’m glad to see that we are now capitalising on that with this festival and a Maritime Museum set to open its doors in 2025, but there are opportunities being missed to utilise this resource to its full potential to add to our city’s tourism offering and to provide an enhanced experience for everyone who lives in our city.

Jamie, Emilie, Harrison and Erin pictured with the singing sailors at the Foyle Maritime Festival. Photo: George Sweeney. DER2229GS – 056Jamie, Emilie, Harrison and Erin pictured with the singing sailors at the Foyle Maritime Festival. Photo: George Sweeney. DER2229GS – 056
Jamie, Emilie, Harrison and Erin pictured with the singing sailors at the Foyle Maritime Festival. Photo: George Sweeney. DER2229GS – 056
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Work is still ongoing on the new pontoon at Prehen boathouse, with plans for a storehouse also given the go-ahead. I believe we need to prioritise the redevelopment of the boathouse itself if we are ever going to see Derry become a real destination for water-based activities and sports that have proved hugely successful elsewhere."

He said the entire gamut of water sports and activities is available on our doorstep and argued that we need to do more to exploit this and promote it.

“From surfing, to scuba diving, canoeing and everything in between, there are no end to the possibilities of what we could do with our river and the associated events and groups we could attract to this area as a result.

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"Since becoming a councillor I have made expanding this offering one of my goals and I will continue to work with council and other stakeholders until we use the river and its associated resources to the maximum," he said.

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