Giant 'London Eye'-Type Wheel For Dublin
Mon 27th Apr 09 - 15:21

The Dublin Eye, the Irish answer to London’s giant observation wheel, could offer panoramic views over the capital by Christmas after the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) issued a tender for contractors to build it.

The body hopes the 80m wheel will stand in George’s Dock or Custom House Quay for up to three years. Loretta Lambkin, its head of marketing, said the ferris wheel could accommodate up to 500,000 visitors a year.“We want to build an attraction that will bring tourists to the docklands,” she said.

The structure will be 20m taller than Liberty Hall but considerably smaller than the 120m Spire.

The DDDA hopes that the wheel will replicate the success of the 135m London Eye. Initially intended as a temporary structure, it proved so popular that it has been kept in place. It has gone on to become the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK, attracting over 3m visitors a year.

Lambkin said the DDDA is hoping to have the wheel in place by Christmas. If the Abbey Theatre relocates to George’s Dock, the DDDA may move the wheel to South Wharf, she said.

The authority has launched a number of initiatives to transform the docklands into a dynamic city quarter but it has struggled to bring in tourists. The O2, which has a capacity of up to 14,500, attracts mostly Irish visitors.

The Docklands Maritime Festival attracted 130,000 visitors last year. The authority owns the Jeanie Johnston replica ship and the Liffey Voyage sightseeing boat, which carries 30,000 passengers a year.

The National Conference Centre is nearing completion and the DDDA hopes to attract houseboats to stimulate nightlife.

View the original article.

Back to Latest News

View the Archive