MacSharry in bid to sell Yeats country to visitors

Sligo has never capitalised on its links with Yeats, according to tourism boss and former EU commissioner Ray MacSharry, who is leading the drive to halt the slump in overseas tourism to the northwest.

Addressing local politicians, the former government minister and Sligo native said: "It is sad to sit here and think that the Yeats museum is in Dublin. What the hell is it doing in Dublin?"

Mr MacSharry, the recently appointed chairman of Fáilte Ireland North West, was addressing county councillors as part of a consultative process as the tourism body prepares a three-year strategic plan for the region, to be published in September.

The number of overseas visitors to the northwest has dropped sharply in recent years from 666,000 in 1999 to 489,000 in 2005. The number of tourists from Britain has dropped from 345,000 to 222,000 in that period while figures for the United States fell from 139,000 to 107,000.

Mr MacSharry said one of the biggest difficulties faced by the region was poor access in an era when short-term breaks are increasingly popular. He said most of the northwest - with the exception of Sligo and south Leitrim - had no rail link with Dublin. A major flagship project, on the scale of the Cliffs of Moher, which people would come to Ireland to see, was also needed in the region.

Appealing for ideas for such a project the former minister for finance told local politicians: "I don't care how many millions it costs." He pointed out that there was a bed capacity of 23,000 in the region including 8,200 beds in Sligo - but occupancy was only 55 per cent.

Councillors complained that Sligo was one of the country's "best kept secrets" with many people unaware of its attractions in terms of culture and scenery.

Fianna Fáil's Albert Higgins said that when they described Sligo as a gateway to the northwest, they meant people just passed through it. "The Yanks would love to see where Yeats had his nine bean rows but we do not promote these things."

Paul McLoone, general manager of Fáilte Ireland North West, said €1.4 million would be made available this year to support festivals and events in the region.