Cork adventure company Zipit opens fourth location in latest expansion
With locations already in Farran Forrest Park in Cork, Tibradden Wood in Dublin and Lough Key Forest Park in Roscommon, Zipit Djouce Park in Wicklow will mark the company's fourth addition. The latest venture will be located on a former golf course fairway on the edge of the Wicklow park.
The new course is currently being built by Funcha, one of Europe's leading adventure park developers.
Speaking on the latest location, Zipit said it offered "wide-open skies and uninterrupted views", providing a different experience from Zipit's traditionally forested courses.
Zipit was acquired by Cork-based Cool Runnings Events in 2021, leading to the merging of two family businesses.
Headquartered in Little Island, Cool Runnings is known for both zip-lining and for its seasonal ice rink attractions in Cork and Dublin and has been operating since 2007.
In May, Zipit sought to expand its operations further, submitting plans to the county council for a new adventure centre in East Cork. In its application, the growing company sought planning permission to install an adventure activity course on Fota Island.
The proposed course will include a net adventure area, multi-activity area, tubing course, zip lines, a low ropes area, and ancillary activities.
Permission is also being sought for a single-storey reception cabin and a single-storey staff welfare cabin, toilet facilities and all associated site and ancillary works on land at Fota Island, Carrigtwohill. The proposed site lies within the curtilage of Fota House, which is a Recorded Protected Structure.
Cork County Council are due to decide on the case by July 1, 2025.
Speaking on the Wicklow course, Cian O'Callaghan, Head of Sales and Marketing at Cool Running Events, said: 'We're incredibly excited to launch our newest course in Djouce. This area of Wicklow offers a stunning backdrop for outdoor adventure."
"This course is Zipit's first that's accessible to kids as young as three, and we can't wait to see the excitement on the younger adventurers' faces as they take part in Ireland's newest adventure course'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
5 hours ago
- Irish Times
Profits rise at BluePoint Pharmaceuticals but Cork firm warns of impact of tariffs
Cork-based pharmaceutical company BluePoint Pharmaceuticals has recorded post-tax profit of $12 million (€10.2 million) from its Irish operations and paid a $25 million dividend but warned that 'geopolitical risks' could impact its operations. Turnover at the Little Island firm grew to $218.66 million in the year ending September 2024, according to recently filed accounts with the Companies Registration Office. Turnover grew by just less than $650,000 in 2024, but this came after a $38 million increase in turnover in 2023 to $218.01 million. The company is ultimately owned by one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, New York-listed Cencora Inc, formerly known as AmerisourceBergen Corporation. The parent company reported global turnover in 2024 of $294 billion. READ MORE With a US-based parent company, the company warned that US import tariffs post a risk to its operations noting the economic measures could affect its input costs or have 'adverse impacts' on demand for its products and supply chains. The company's directors warned that, among other factors, the uncertainty around the impact of tariffs, market volatility and 'slower economic growth or recession' could impact the business in 2025. Gross profits widened slightly in 2024 as costs of sales decreased but distribution and administrative expenses cut back pretax profits to within $50,000 of 2023. The company paid $1.83 million in tax in the financial year, compared with $1.94 million the year prior. Post-tax profits grew from $12.232 million in 2023, to $12.379 million in 2024. HP Pharmaceuticals Unlimited paid a $25 million dividend to shareholders, having not proposed a dividend since it made a $17 million shareholder payout in 2022. Staffing at the Cork business remained static at 36 in the period, though total payroll costs increased from $4.7 million in 2023, to $5.5 million in 2024, primarily driven by overall wages and salaries increasing by 17 per cent. Salary paid to directors stood at $513,000.
RTÉ News
9 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Fears for 100 jobs at Galway-based Romero Games
There are fears for the future of around 100 jobs at Galway-based video game company Romero Games. The firm has issued a statement outlining that its publisher has cancelled funding for a game that was currently in development. The publisher is reported to be Microsoft which this week announced plans to cut around 9,000 jobs globally. "We're currently evaluating next steps and working quickly to support our team," Romero Games said. "It's an extremely difficult day, and we're heartbroken that it's come to this. If you know of any opportunities or ways you can help our incredible team, please reach out," the company said. "This absolutely isn't a reflection of our team's work, performance, or the quality of the project itself," it added. Romero Games describes itself as an independent game studio of over 100 developers founded in 2014 by award-winning game developers Brenda and John Romero. John Romero is credited with helping to popularise the first-person shooter (FPS) genre and co-created hit games including Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. Game Workers Unite Ireland (GWUI), which is a branch of the Financial Services Union (FSU), represents workers in the gaming sector. The union has described the announcement by Romero Games as a devastating blow to staff.
The Journal
11 hours ago
- The Journal
Over 100 staff laid off as Galway-based Romero Games shuts down after funding cut
GALWAY-BASED GAME studio Romero Games has shut its doors after funding was pulled by its publisher, leaving more than 100 staff without jobs. The studio, founded in 2015 by industry veterans Brenda and John Romero, had been working on a new first-person shooter with what it described as 'a major publisher'. Multiple sources, including staff, have said the publisher in question is Microsoft, which announced 9,000 layoffs earlier this week . Brenda Romero confirmed the sudden closure in a statement today, saying the decision was 'made at a high level within the publisher well above our visibility and control.' 'This absolutely isn't a reflection of our team's work, performance or the quality of the project itself. We hit every milestone on time, every time,' she said. 'We're heartbroken that it's come to this.' The abrupt end to the project has left the studio's global workforce unemployed, including staff in Galway, Dublin, Sweden, the United States, Australia, and South Africa. Romero Games studio in Galway city. Google Maps Google Maps While company accounts for last year show Romero Games employed around 42 people directly, it is understood the broader network of developers working on the project numbered more than 100. Speaking to The Journal , one anonymous Romero Games staff member described the situation as 'a big shock'. 'Everyone is out of a job,' they said. 'We had meetings with the publisher the day before this happened, there was no mention of it. We were being told we were making great progress. So this came completely out of the blue. The employee said the team had suspected something might be coming given recent layoffs at Microsoft, but felt their project was far enough along to be safe. 'It seemed so far away for us. The title was pretty well developed at the time.' Romero Games was working under contract with the publisher, and now has no remaining funds to continue operations. Advertisement 'We're trying to find other ways of funding the project,' the employee added. 'But for now, it's completely closed, and the studio is closed.' The sudden announcement has left an 'emotional toll' on the staff, the worker said. 'It's not just about losing the job. In this kind of work, you leave a little part of your soul in what you're doing,' the staff member said. 'For people not to be able to share what they did – it's frustrating. It was work we were very proud of. For some people, it was years of their lives.' Romero Games was known for Empire of Sin, a 1920s strategy title published by Paradox Interactive in 2020. In July 2022, the studio announced that it had begun work on a new original project – a AAA (major-budget) first-person shooter built in Unreal Engine 5, a cutting-edge game development platform used for creating high-end visuals and immersive gameplay. The unnamed title was being developed in collaboration with a major publisher, now widely believed to be Microsoft, and was said to be progressing well before the abrupt cancellation. John Romero, co-founder of the company, is a celebrated figure in the industry, having helped create genre-defining titles like Doom and Wolfenstein 3D. The latest accounts for Romero Games Ltd show strong financial performance, with profits of €1.5 million in 2024 and €1.2 million in 2023, according to Business Plus . However, those earnings were tied to project-based contracts, and with no ongoing publishing support, the company was unable to continue. The Financial Services Union, through its Game Workers Unite Ireland branch, described the closure as a 'devastating blow' and said it was reaching out to affected staff. If you have been affected by the layoffs at Romero Games and need support, please reach out to us at GWUI. Freephone: 1800 81 91 91 or email:advice@ You can leave a callback request #RomeroGames — Game Workers Unite Ireland (@GWU_Ireland) July 3, 2025 'This again shows the precarity in the sector, where even high-performing, well-regarded teams can be wiped out at short notice because of decisions far beyond their control,' a spokesperson said. Brenda Romero said the company is now focusing on helping affected employees find new opportunities. 'Many of us have worked together for more than a decade, some for over 20 years,' she said. 'We are incredibly proud of the work being done and of the talented team behind it. The best we've worked with.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
