Ireland’s only cable car has repeatedly closed despite €1.6 million investment

The cable car only reopened nine weeks ago.

Ireland's only cable car, and the only cable car that crosses open seawater in Europe, has closed on seven different occasions since it reopened to the public on Friday June 9th. This comes after an upgrade that cost €1.6 million. Reasons behind these closures include "technical" issues, "essential maintenance", and "ESB outage". According to RTÉ News, most recently on August 13, "the cable car service was withdrawn when a haul rope - replaced in advance of the recent reconstruction of the two towers - showed unexpected signs of wear and tear." In a Cork County Council statement they said this of the need to close the cable cars:

"Such situations are managed to ensure that any issues affecting the operation of the cable car are comprehensively addressed and this is followed by the prioritised resumption of a safe and reliable cable car service."

At this moment in time, the cable car is open for use. The cable car originally closed in 2021 when it was affected by a severe weather incident, at which time Cork County Council concluded that essential remediation work was necessary to ensure continued safe operation. The cable car runs back and forth to the island continuously between the hours of 9.30 and 19:30, and the trip across takes ten minutes. It's a popular attraction for tourists, although island residents get priority for the limited spaces on board. Tickets cost €10 for adults and €5 for children, and you can pay with cash only. You can find out more about Dursey Island and the unique cable car service on their website. Header images via Cork County Council READ ON: - Festival-goers, these are the odds of Electric Picnic being a total washout - 12 of the most iconic Rose of Tralee moments, from fish kisses to banana dances - Inside the Donegal B&B that has caught the eye of the New York Times