Youghal together now

The future of how visitors experience one of East Cork’s most iconic towns may well lie in the hands of its residents as a new public appeal goes out.

Residents, businesses, community organisations, and visitors alike are being invited to help shape the final Youghal Visitor Orientation Strategy by providing feedback on a series of emerging proposals for the town.

The strategy, developed by Cork County Council in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, aims to enhance how people navigate, discover and experience Youghal.

Its goal is to create stronger connections between the town centre, historic attractions, the waterfront, beaches, and the town's unique natural and cultural assets.

Following an initial public consultation in April, which attracted more than 220 survey responses, a series of emerging proposals have now been developed, informed by community feedback and local knowledge gathered throughout the first phase of consultation.

Welcoming the next phase of consultation, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Bernard Moynihan praised the public’s engagement so far.

He said: “The level of engagement during the first phase of consultation demonstrated the strong pride people have in Youghal and the importance they place on its future development. The feedback received has helped shape these emerging proposals and I would encourage everyone with an interest in the town to take the opportunity to review them and have their say.”

The emerging proposals identify opportunities to enhance the visitor experience in Youghal through improved wayfinding, orientation, and storytelling, while highlighting the town's rich heritage, coastal environment, and unique sense of place.

The strategy will also provide a framework to help guide future investment opportunities and funding applications that support visitor orientation, placemaking and tourism-related projects throughout the town.

Mary Houlihan,Regional Tourism Development Manager, Ireland's Ancient East, Fáilte Ireland, said: “Youghal is an important coastal destination within Ireland's Ancient East, offering a unique blend of heritage, culture, maritime history, and natural beauty.

“The Youghal Orientation Strategy will set out a clear vision for how visitors can better discover and experience these assets, encouraging them to stay longer, explore more of the town and surrounding region, and ultimately deliver greater economic benefits for local businesses and communities.“

Members of the public are now encouraged to review the emerging proposals and share their views through an online survey or by attending a public consultation event. For information on these, visit corkcoco.ie.

The online survey is now open and closes on 30 September.

Paper copies of the survey are available at Youghal Town Hall.