Planning approval for Limavady Irish Whiskey’s £10m distillery in Co Derry

Planning approval has been granted for a new £10 million Irish whiskey distillery in Co Derry.

Limavady Irish Whiskey has secured permission for the new development in Magilligan.

The company, launched by experienced industry veteran Darryl McNally in 2021, has revived one of the oldest names in the Irish spirits industry.

Mr McNally, who spent 16 years at Bushmills, and later helped launch Dublin Liberties Distillery, has already secured a partnership with Vermont-based Whistlepig to distribute his Limavady Single Barrel Irish Whiskey in the United States.

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His company will take the Limavady revival one step further with a new distillery set to be developed on his father’s farm on Seacoast Road, just two miles from Benone Strand.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council officially signed off on the farm diversification plans on May 2 2024, some 32 months after the Co Derry master distiller submitted his application.

The original Limavady Distillery operated in the area between 1750 until around 1915.

At its height, the distillery was producing 1.2 million litres of pure alcohol per annum.

Darryl McNally said the modern incarnation of the distillery will be capable of producing 3.5 million bottles of whiskey annually, with the aim of catering for global markets.

The brand’s logo, a leaping dog, is inspired from the Gaelic origin of Léim an Mhadaidh (leap of the dog).

Mr McNally said the dream of opening his own distillery has been seven years in the making.

“I’m delighted we have finally secured planning approval,” he said.

“It’s fantastic for Limavady Irish Whiskey but also I am very proud to bring back distilling to the area of Limavady and look forward to bringing some really good jobs to the area.”

The £10m investment is expected to create 13 jobs and support another 12 roles indirectly.

“This initiative will particularly benefit local farmers and foster the development of a high-value ecosystem, anticipated to generate tens of millions of pounds for the Causeway Coast and Glens region,” he added

The Limavady development is the second Irish whiskey distillery to be granted planning approval by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council since the start of the year.

The Glens of Antrim Distillery project in Cushendall was given the green light in February.