Announcement includes significant funding for Dublin Castle, the Rock of Cashel as well as Newgrange and the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre
Fáilte Ireland today announced €11.5m in funding from its Capital Grants budget for ten key OPW projects in Dublin and within the Ireland’s Ancient East region. The funding is in the context of Fáilte Ireland’s strategic partnership with the OPW to assist in the refurbishment and enhancement of key visitor attractions.
Speaking today, Patrick O’Donovan, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport said:
“Our history and culture are a big part of our tourism offering and I am delighted to see Fáilte Ireland and the OPW working so closely together to improve some of our key heritage sites and making them much more accessible to visitors. If tourism is to sustain growth into the longer term, we need to continually upgrade and enhance the experience on the ground and today’s funding will very much help us do that.”
Today’s funding of €11.5m includes an investment in a new museum and viewing platform in The Record Tower at Dublin Castle, which will make one of the city’s most impressive medieval buildings much more compelling for visitors. There is also significant funding for the Rock of Cashel as well as Newgrange, Knowth and the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre. The full list of projects funded today includes:
- The Record Tower, Dublin Castle – €3m
- Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre – €2.58m
- Rock of Cashel – €1.78m
- Knowth – €1.4m
- Newgrange – €1m
- Ormond Castle, Co Tipperary – €585k
- King John’s Castle, Carlingford – €400k
- Glendalough, Co Wicklow – €349k
- The Phoenix Park (tourism and amenity study) – €300k
- Boyne Valley (Interpretation Masterplan) – €120k
Further detail about the projects can be found in the editor’s note below.
Welcoming today’s news, Séan Canney, Minister of State at the Office of Public Works said –
“The OPW is delighted that the heritage estate we manage is benefiting from this significant investment by Fáilte Ireland. There are many wonderful places to visit including Dublin Castle, where we are today, Glendalough, Ormond Castle and Knowth/Newgrange to name a few.
“The stimulus of this investment will help us to greatly improve the quality of the visitor offering and experience at these OPW locations so as to make sure that Ireland continues to be a great place to visit and to holiday. We have started with these 10 initial projects and I very much look forward to more such announcements in the future at other sites right around Ireland.”
Stressing the importance of capital funding for the growth of tourism, Fáilte Ireland’s CEO, Paul Kelly emphasised:
“The tourism sector currently sustains 220,000 jobs and generates an estimated €6bn economic value a year. However, continued tourism growth will very much be dependent on our ability to provide continued improvement in the range of visitor experiences on the ground. Our latest overseas visitor research demonstrated that our unique history and culture provides a strong incentive for bringing people to our shores.
“As many of the OPW’s heritage sites are key attractions for tourism, our partnership with the OPW is critical to unlocking the full potential of our history and heritage to drive tourism based economic and employment growth. Today’s investment allows us to boost some key OPW sites such as Dublin Castle, Newgrange and the Rock of Cashel and really open them up further for visitors.”
Fáilte Ireland’s strategic partnership with the OPW is one of a number of engagements the tourism body has entered into with other state agencies to work together to grow tourism. Fáilte Ireland is also working closely in a similar fashion with Coillte where last December it announced a €550K investment and also with the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) where it recently announced a €500k package of capital support.
Fáilte Ireland /OPW Strategic Funding 2017
| PROJECT TITLE | SHORT DESCRIPTION | VALUE | |
| The Record Tower, Dublin Castle | The proposed new attraction will consist of a new museum, venue and viewing platform in The Record Tower at Dublin Castle, making one of Dublin’s most impressive medieval buildings more accessible to visitors. | €3m | |
| Phoenix Park | Technical assistance funding for a tourism and amenity study and masterplan for the Phoenix Park which will look at optimising the tourism and amenity value of the Phoenix Park. | €300k | |
| Glendalough | Increase capacity, relieve traffic congestion and improve links with Laragh village | €349k | |
| Rock of Cashel | New indoor exhibition, new outdoor interpretation, new visitor hub to increase capacity | €1,78m | |
| Ormond Castle | New indoor exhibition / interpretive space, landscaping and refurbishment of outdoor spaces | €585k | |
| Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre | Full revamp of the exhibition/ interpretation and improvements to ancillary facilities including toilets, car park, bus station | €2,58m | |
| Newgrange | New visitor hub, indoor and outdoor interpretation, toilets, coach bays and landscaping | €1m | |
| Knowth | On site exhibitions / interpretation along with landscaping, toilets new bus / car park | €1.4m | |
| Boyne Valley Interpretation Masterplan | Technical assistance to commission an interpretation masterplan for multiple historic and archaeological sites in the Boyne Valley | €120k | |
| King John’s Castle, Carlingford | The proposed project would enable visitors to enter the interior of the castle and would allow for the story of the castle to be brought to life via a range of different activities such as performance, lectures, exhibition etc. | €400k | |
| TOTAL | €11.5m | ||
Source: Failte Ireland
