West Clare is looking to follow in Foynes’ footsteps, as Kilrush and surrounding areas could see a significant tourism boost if cruise ships begin docking at Moneypoint Port.
The proposal, raised at a council meeting in late October by Councillor Dinny Gould, suggests that an agreement between the ESB and Clare County Council could open the way for large vessels, similar to those currently bringing visitors into Limerick via Foynes to stop in Clare.
The development follows the end of coal shipments to Moneypoint, after the power station stopped burning coal this summer following 40 years of use. The station will now operate exclusively on oil as it transitions fully toward renewable energy in the future.
The giant cruise ships in question normally carry up to 2,000 passengers, and docking at Moneypoint would allow these passengers to explore Clare. This would provide a big boost for businesses in Kilrush, and neighbouring towns and landmarks.
Business owners in Kilrush were understandably excited, “every business in the town would benefit” said Anne Ryan, who owns the Wild Atlantic Shop on Kilrush high street. Anne was delighted by the idea of an “increase in footfall”.
The 67-year-old also speculated that “more businesses would start in the town” and spoke about the current ‘boom’ Kilrush is seeing with the opening of trendy coffee shops like The Jellyfish and Beag.
The manager of Oileán, Julie McKiernan, was also excited by the idea “if it brings more business to the town then it’s great”. Julie, whose husband works with the Tarbert ferry service, spoke of the places they might visit, “it would be a great base, they could go to the Cliffs of Moher, they could go to Bunratty, there’s a lot around Clare”.
The 50-year-old Kilrush native was well aware of the current benefits Limerick was experiencing and hoped that the increase might help to balance out the lull in tourism that comes with the colder months, “I’ve seen them coming into Foynes, Limerick is benefitting, it’s a long winter”.
Passengers from these ships are currently frequenting Limerick and north Clare, as cruise ships are using the Foynes port to dock and allow passengers to disembark. Foynes saw a record year number of cruise ships in 2025, with a total of 19 docking there.
Both Clare County Council and the ESB were contacted for an update on the deal, but neither had news of any developments. Business owners will be eager to see progress, as the sooner this deal is made, the sooner they will benefit.
Councillor Dinny Gould, who originally raised the idea, seems to be maintaining involvement.
He said that a follow up is “on his radar” and that he would “be speaking with the tourism department for updates” in the new year.