Offaly County Council celebrates official opening of new tourism project

A nature-based tourism project aimed at driving tourism in the Offaly area will open this week.

Founded and operated by local experienced angling expert Johannes Bulfin, Watershed Fly Fishing will officially launch on Thursday.

The project was awarded €39,000 in funding through Fáilte Ireland’s Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, which is co-funded by the EU and the Government of Ireland under the EU Just Transition fund.

Watershed Fly Fishing offers guided immersive, low impact fly-fishing experiences for pike, trout, and perch. With the addition of the newly funded custom-built, modern fishing boat, Johannes can give guests a tranquil experience of Ireland’s inland waterways.

Johannes, a qualified aquatic biologist, with a deep respect for the natural environment and decades of hands-on expertise, invites visitors to explore some of Ireland’s richest inland waterways — in a way that’s peaceful, personal, and powered by passion.

Watershed Fly Fishing aligns closely with the goals of the EU Just Transition Fund, to create a greener, more inclusive tourism economy in Ireland’s Midlands.

This initiative demonstrates how rural enterprises can thrive while protecting and celebrating the unique biodiversity and heritage of the region.

Fáilte Ireland’s Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme aims to transform tourism across counties in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands by diversifying the local economy and providing new employment opportunities for workers and communities that were heavily dependent on peat.

The scheme will develop the midlands into a leading regenerative tourism destination, creating more reasons for domestic and international tourists to visit the Midlands while also sustaining jobs, businesses and local communities in the region.

It will also support the transition of the Midlands to a carbon neutral destination through funding of sustainable tourism projects that are designed to have significant regenerative impacts on local communities and peatlands.