Fáilte Ireland has announced an investment of €4.3 million in four heritage sites along the Wild Atlantic Way, which is intended to enhance the visitor experiences at each location.
The investment, which forms part of Fáilte Ireland’s strategic partnership with the Office of Public Works (OPW), will allow for new exhibitions and major upgrades at the sites. Fáilte Ireland is providing up to 75% of the funding for the projects from its Capital Grants budget, with the remainder of the funding being provided by the OPW.
The four heritage sites to benefit from this investment are:
- Blasket Island Visitor Centre in Kerry, which will see the development of a new signature viewing point and a number of interpretive galleries at the Centre;
- Céide Fields in Mayo, where the visitor centre will receive a new exhibition and interpretation space to showcase new archaeological material and knowledge about the site and the surrounding area;
- Inis Mór in the Aran Islands, Galway, where the existing Visitor Interpretation Centre at Dún Aonghasa will undergo a major upgrade, while interpretative information will be introduced at other key sites on the island under the guardianship of the OPW;
- Carrowmore in Sligo, where the visitor exhibition will be updated with information about the monuments at Carrowmore, as well as the nearby ancient sites at Knocknarea and Carrowkeel.
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D., said, “It is incredibly important that we make the most of our cultural riches and boost the visitor experience wherever possible. I am delighted to see Fáilte Ireland and the OPW working in partnership to improve and transform many key heritage sites like these, opening them to even more tourists, enhancing the visitor experience and growing regional tourism. Investment through strategic partnerships like this is a key contributor to maintaining Ireland’s reputation as a brilliant place to visit.”
© 2018 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
