Ryan Sands

Newry

Journalist at Mourne Observer

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mourneobserver.com

Articles

Is the gondola going up in Kilbroney?

6 days ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsA plan to resurrect the controversial Mourne Mountains Gateway Project in Rostrevor will be given “time and space” to develop. This was confirmed by the Department for the Economy (DfE) in the wake of last Wednesday’s surprise announcement by the council that its bid to retain £30 million of Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) funding for the district will now be centred in Kilbroney Park.
DUP councillors stage walk out

6 days ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsThe DUP walked out en masse from Monday’s monthly council meeting after a notice of motion it had tabled on April’s Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman was deferred. The party also signalled its intent to withdraw from the Equality and Good Relations Reference Group—the body to which it was redirected—“until further notice,” citing its unhappiness with the adoption, earlier in the meeting, of a new bilingual policy for city, town, and village signage.
Kilkeel boat builders win national award

1 week ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsA Kilkeel boatbuilding company has won a national award in its specialised category for the second year running. G. Smyth Boats recently took home the accolade for the under-15m boat of the year—for the Olja CN52, a 12m Maxus Catamaran—at the Fishing News Awards 2025, having won in the same category last year for a 15m vessel (Inter-Nos PZ46) it had constructed.
Ardnabannon House up for sale

2 weeks ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsTHE former Ardnabannon Outdoor Education Centre (OEC) could soon be transformed into a hotel and wedding venue. A PAD (pre-application discussion) submission – which allows potential applicants to discuss plans with planners prior to lodging a full application – for the B1 listed Annsborough building was recently submitted to the council.
Vision of new Warrenpoint baths revealed

2 weeks ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsA vision of what a rejuvenated Warrenpoint Baths could become has been unveiled.
Mourne Park House up for sale for £3.5m

3 weeks ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsMourne Park House has been placed on the market with an asking price of £3.5m. The Kilkeel property, which a sales description says is “undoubtedly one of Northern Ireland’s most famous and historic country homes,” was recently listed by estate agents Simon Brien. The description also highlights that full planning permission to transform the house into “a 123-bedroom luxury hotel and spa offering premier accommodation” is in place.
Mourne Gateway Project debate continues

3 weeks ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsThe fallout from the collapse of the council’s Mourne Mountains Gateway Project continues to reverberate. The aftermath of the recent National Trust announcement that it would not be granting a lease to facilitate a gondola link between Donard Park and Thomas’s Quarry has led to a flurry of meetings focused on retaining the £30m of Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) funding allocated towards the total £44m cost and addressing the financial risk now faced by the local authority.
Future of Mourne Gateway funding is unclear

1 month ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsThe future of £30m of Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) funding allocated to the controversial Mourne Mountains Gateway Project remains unclear. The National Trust signalled the death knell of the project – which had a total budget of £44m – on Thursday with its announcement that it will not be providing a facilitatory lease that could have seen gondolas travelling to a visitor centre at Thomas’s Quarry.
Hilltown church to become community space

1 month ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsPLANS to transform Hilltown’s oldest building into a new community space have been earmarked for the green light. The Clonduff Development Enterprise proposal to restore St John’s Parish Church on the village’s Main Street was submitted in October 2022 and will go before the council’s Planning Committee, with an approval recommendation attached, next Wednesday (30 April).
Petition urges councillors to scrap gondola project

1 month ago | mourneobserver.com | Ryan Sands

By Ryan SandsA new petition urging councillors to halt the multimillion-pound Mourne Mountains Gateway Project (MMGP) has been launched. The ‘Scrap the Gondola Project’ petition on the Act Now NI website, which allows signatories to send a template email to any or all of the district’s 41 councillors, was posted online by the Mourne Gateway Info Group last Wednesday (16 April).