RDCA Visit to Tobermory Harbour Authority

Taigh Solais, the Tobermory Harbour Authority building. Photo by Marina McMullan.

Thursday 19 July 2012

A group from Rathlin visited the Tobermory Harbour Authority (THA) on the Isle of Mull on Monday to meet with the group and to see their new Marine Visitor Centre.

Don Mitchell and Brian Swinbanks of the THA with Michael Cecil and Fergus McFaul of the RDCA. Photo by Jessica Bates.

The group of nine included RDCA Chair Michael Cecil, Secretary Fergus McFaul and Committee member Marina McMullan as well as Shauna Cecil, Stephen Ryan, Jessica Bates, Ciaran and Mary O’Driscoll and Paul Kerrigan of the Ballycastle Community Development Group.

The Rathlin visitors listen to Don Mitchell (L) and Jim Traynor (R) of the THA. Photo by Jessica Bates.

The group were met at Taigh Solais, the THA’s harbour building by Brian Swinbanks, Chair THA, Don Mitchell, Project Officer, Jim Traynor, Marine Manager and Mary Macgregor, Business Manager. The THA is a community owned company that owns, manages, and maintains on behalf of the community many of the facilities within Tobermory Harbour. The THA is in the process of opening a Marine Visitor Centre, housed in Taigh Solais.

Brian Swinbanks, Chair of the THA speaking at the meeting. Photo by Jessica Bates.

The Tobermory Marine Visitor Centre is seen as providing valuable insights into how a future marine science and visitor centre might operate on Rathlin. The visit also provided a useful opportunity to establish links with another island community, something that is a key milestone for the Big Lottery funding of the current community development project.

A digital impression of the finished interior of the Marine Visitor Centre in Tobermory. Photo by Jessica Bates.

The meeting discussed issues such as funding streams, community engagement, sustainability, partnership, education and relations with interested parties. The THA staff also highlighted other potential sites relevant to the Kelpstore project, such as the Scottish Marine Institute, near Oban, and the University Marine Biological Station at Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae. The RDCA will be keeping in touch with the THA regarding the progress of the Tobermory Marine Visitor Centre, and would like to thank everyone at the THA for their help and hospitality.

On the way back from Mull, the group passed the St Colmcille currach en route from Rathlin to Iona. Photo by Marina McMullan.