Work has officially begun on a transformative 6€5.5m tourism project at Westport Estate in County Mayo. The project is a joint public-private venture. Fáilte Ireland is providing up to €36m in state funding. The remaining match funding is being supplied by the Hughes family, the local owners of the estate and the Portwest clothing brand.
The redevelopment will transform the 430-acre estate into a world-class heritage and nature destination over a two-year construction phase, with an official opening targeted for mid-2028. The major features of the transformation include:
- Wild Realms: A 34-acre outdoor nature experience designed by award-winning landscape designer Mary Reynolds. It features three immersive spaces themed around the mythological Tree of Life, using exclusively native planting to boost biodiversity.
- Westport House Restoration: Full restoration of the historic grand house and its formal Italianate gardens. The house will feature updated interpretive media detailing 350 years of estate history and will be made universally accessible for the first time.
- The Grace O’Malley Story: A new, fully immersive 360-degree cinematic experience with multi-sensory effects celebrating the legacy of Ireland’s famous Pirate Queen.
- Coach House Visitor Centre: A brand-new central hub on the estate that will house the main reception, orientation point, retail spaces, and a café.
The expansion is projected to attract 1.1m additional visitors over the next decade and generate an estimated €113m in direct visitor spending for the local economy. The construction and operational phases will support 226 jobs annually.
This massive development builds upon the Hughes family’s ongoing investment into the site since purchasing it in 2017. It closely follows the June 2026 opening of The Grace, a new 129-room luxury hotel also located on the estate grounds.
The development includes significant upgrades to enhance the visitor experience at this key Irish tourism destination and is expected to deliver substantial economic benefits to the region.
