A north Sligo community says it now needs the support of local and national agencies to progress the development of an international Spanish Armada centre in the area.
It is hoped to make Grange and Streedagh Ireland’s national Spanish Armada Centre, with a new interpretative centre, display area and conservation unit.
The Spanish fleet of 130 vessels sailed against England in 1588 but many of its ships were destroyed in violent storms, a number of them off the coast of Ireland.
Various artefacts from the armada wrecks, including cannons, have been retrieved from the seabed off the coast of Streedagh.
Eddie O’Gorman, chairman of the local community group that has been working on the project, believes it could be as big an attraction as the Titanic Centre in Belfast.
But he says the local community now needs help to attract major capital funding that is available.
Mr O’Gorman says while there are about five Spanish Armada sites in Ireland, Streedagh is unique.
