Almost 3,700 homes, farms, and businesses in and around Skibbereen can now order high-speed fibre broadband from National Broadband Ireland (NBI).

The rollout under the government’s National Broadband Plan covers Skibbereen, Aghadown, and Castlehaven townlands, delivering minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second.

The rollout is part of a broader push in County Cork, where 82,000 premises qualify for the government’s €314 million investment, the largest in rural Ireland since electrification.

It means nearly 58,700 Cork locations, including surrounds of Clonakilty, Eyeries, Kinsale, and Meelin, can pre-order or connect with 17,914 already live.

Ongoing works near Grenagh add over 6,500 more by the end of 2025.

Peter Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer of NBI, said: ‘Almost 3,700 Cork homes, businesses and farms near Skibbereen can now connect to fibre broadband on NBI network.

Almost 8,700 premises in Co. Cork can avail of a high-speed connection today.’

He added: ‘We are delighted to announce that almost 3,700 Cork premises in the Skibbereen deployment area can now order high-speed broadband services through the NBI network. This will enable those who connect to experience the life-changing benefits of high-speed broadband with minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second.’

Nationally, NBI has passed 439,000 rural premises, with 158,000 connected and a 35% take-up rate.

As a wholesale operator, NBI partners with 72 Retail Service Providers (RSPs), 66 of which are certified.

You can visit www.nbi.ie, enter your Eircode and sign up for email alerts.

In the meantime, 955 Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) like Castletownkenneigh Community Centre offer free public access, bridging the gap for education, work, and tourism, NBI said.