Popular Malin Head business loses thousands of euro as water outage forces customer cancellation
Residents, tourists and business owners in Malin Head are becoming increasingly frustrated and angry with frequent water outages in the area, the most recent occurring over the weekend.
Michael Doherty, owner of the popular Seaview Tavern in Malin Head told how they have had to turn away hundreds of customers in recent days.
A major Jika Jika festival called ‘The Malin Head Weekender’ was held at the Seaview Tavern over the weekend, with the field turned into a campsite for 265 people.
However, another water outage hit as the festival was underway and Micheal told how he and his staff had to get buckets of water from the nearby pier to fill toilets.
The water still hadn't returned by Monday afternoon, leading to thousands of euro in lost custom.
"We have had to call numerous people who have had restaurant bookings with us to cancel, as we have no water. And we’re also calling those who are planning to stay with us to tell them there’s no water available here. Some are saying they’re still coming but, of course, others don’t want to come.
"I honestly couldn’t say how many people we’ve had to cancel and turn away from here in recent days, it’s definitely in the hundreds and we have lost thousands of euro.”
Michael outlined how the July 12 weekend and the months of July and August are usually the busiest of the year.
“A huge amount of people leave the north to come here and the weather really could not have been better across the weekend.
“A lot of people come here to stay, while others have caravans and holiday homes in Malin Head. Derry people come to Malin Head in swarms and have been doing so for 50 years. We’ve had camper vans coming from all over Donegal, Tyrone, Down, Dublin – all over – but we haven’t had any water.
"Technically, it went off on Saturday. The electricity went down and when it came back on the pumps didn’t reset themselves. We don’t have a water works engineer for the area as the previous engineer, who was fantastic, retired. He still hasn’t been replaced. So, there was no-one to turn on the switch for the pumps.
"I have to say, the men on the ground have been 100%. It’s all to do with Irish Water (Uisce Eireann) policy and the band aid approach to the whole situation.”
Michael explained how the water to the Seaview Tavern previously came from Black Mountain, but they were, ‘for some reason taken off that line and put on to the Keenagh reservoir’.
"It goes dry if any of the other reservoirs that feed it run down.
"On Saturday, when we had the festival here, the pumps did not reset and it wasn’t until everyone started running out of water that we realised the reservoir had emptied. We were and still are going to the pier to get buckets of water to dump them down the toilet.
"July and August are our busiest months and are what keeps us going during the quieter months. We’re out thousands of euro. And, as a business, we’re paying for this water, which we don’t have.”
Michael said he believed Irish Water are also being ‘disrespectful’ to local TDs and County Councillors, who are being left to deal with the situation not created by them.
He said a water bowser had been provided on Tuesday so they can wash dishes by hand, ‘but can’t turn on the dishwasher’.
“It shouldn’t be happening. We have a very good business and fantastic staff, who are also being impacted by this. We had to tell them to go home when we couldn’t open and we have had many disappointed customers.”
It is understood that some tourists staying in Malin Head in caravans and campervans etc left early due to the lack of water.
Councillor Ali Farren, who lives in Malin Head, said ‘it’s not good enough in 2025 that we’re left for days without water’.
“It was a very sad moment yesterday when I was delivering Malin Head calendars to Docs (Seaview Tavern) to see the only people outside were seven or eight staff members who had no work and were told to go home. Anyone who pulled up outside was being told the restaurant was closed. The place is normally buzzing.
“It sends an awful message. Donegal is the county recommended to tourists by Lonely Planet etc and the TDex event, which is bringing bloggers from all over the world, is coming here soon. Can you imagine if we have a water outage and our public conveniences like restaurants are closed – what kind of image is that going to give?
Colr Farren said the lack of a local water works engineer, alongside other issues such as pipe bursts and lack of proper infrastructure, is having a hugely detrimental impact.
"Two weeks ago the mains in Malin Town burst. The previous engineer, a local man, would have gone down and closed it off and then redirected water so the reservoir wasn’t leaking.
"But, it leaked all Sunday into Monday until someone came out to turn it off and the reservoir was down then. A lot of these outages are shut offs so that the reservoir can refill.
“And, it’s not just holiday makers this is impacting – it’s residents, farmers and business people – if you can’t provide toilets and sanitary conditions then you can’t open.”
Donegal County Councillor Albert Doherty has submitted a question to the next council meeting asking for a response to a motion previously submitted, which called for a meeting between Donehal County Council, which was adopted by members asking for an urgent and special meeting with Uisce Eireann on its infrastructure works plan for the county.