Opening Waterford's Metalman estimated to cost half a million euro
The Metalman in Tramore.
At a recent Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council, it was revealed that the cost of opening the popular ‘Metalman’ pillar in Tramore to the public could be as high as half a million euros.
Independent Councillor Dónal Barry said, “The issue of getting access to the Metalman in Tramore has been going on now for fifty years.”
He explained that the attraction could be a “significant asset” regarding tourism.
He asked the Council executive to explain what obstacles were preventing the delivery of safe public access and what actions were being taken to overcome them.
A council executive responded that “realistically, the cost of maintaining or updating the metal man was about €150,000.”
He continued: “We do not have the funds at this point in time to carry out those works.”
He said that the main issue is that the Metal Man is located on privately owned property.
He explained: “I don’t think anyone would contemplate spending half a million on something we didn’t have access to.”
The council executive, the council CEO and the council chief architect will be visiting the site in the next two weeks “to have a look at the lie of the land”.
He explained that whilst he is new to the job, looking into the Metalman is high on his list of priorities. He did not give any indication as to whether council facilitated public access to the Metalman was being considered by the council.
This issue was raised in relation to the publication of Waterford Outdoor Recreation Plan 2026 - 2030. This plan was published in relation to a national pilot scheme that Waterford is part of, which is funded by the Department of Rural Communities and the Gaeltacht. According to Waterford City and County Council: "The five-year plan sets out a coordinated framework to increase participation in outdoor recreation, improve access and infrastructure, support inclusive opportunities and protect Waterford's natural environment."
However, the plan makes no mention of the Metalman.
Erected in 1823, the Metalman is a commemoration of the tragic sinking of the HMS Seahorse in 1816, where 360 lives were lost.
Since then, the figure has become an important symbol for the Tramore community. According to a local history blog, written by Ivan Fitzgerald: "The ongoing situation of prohibited access to Tramore’s most significant historical landmark remains unresolved to this day, despite the bicentenary of the towers having come and gone."
The council executive concluded: “It would be nonsensical at this stage to spend half a million on a facility that we don’t have access to.”
Other councillors at the meeting mentioned other elements of outdoor recreation they felt had been missed by the plan. Sinn Féin Councillor John Hearne said the sea was "the final frontier" when it comes to tourism in Waterford. He explained that fishing restrictions limit expansion in that area of tourism.
Fine Gael Councillor Liam Brazil suggested, "connecting the mountains to the sea" via a walk or cycle route, which many other councillors agreed with. He also asked if there were any plans to connect Mahon Bridge to Mahon Falls.
