The new Dunbrody Famine Ship visitor experience in New Ross, Co. Wexford was officially opened last week by Taoiseach Simon Harris.
This enhanced visitor experience follows an investment of €1.6 million from the Department of Rural and Community Development, Fáilte Ireland, and Wexford County Council.
Upgraded Experience
The upgraded experience tells the famine emigrant story, centred on a reproduction of an 1840s vessel that set sail for America during the Great Famine.
The new immersive visitor experience uses a mix of digital interpretation and archive material, such as personal letters and records from the time, to bring to life one of the most pivotal events in Irish history, helping visitors to connect with the human stories of those who journeyed across the Atlantic.
Fáilte Ireland estimates that over a ten-year period, the Dunbrody Famine Ship experience has the potential to attract over 211,000 additional local, domestic and overseas visitors, generating over €9 million in visitor expenditure for the local economy and supporting 36 jobs.
'Boosting The Local economy'
“Fáilte Ireland is proud to contribute €295,000 in capital investment to the overall €1.6 million Dunbrody Famine Ship upgrade, delivered in collaboration with Department of Rural and Community Development and Wexford County Council," said Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland.
"This attraction was already a key part of the tourism offering in Wexford and Ireland’s Ancient East and these upgrades offer a new immersive visitor experience that tells the important story of our emigrant past, while also boosting the local economy."
'World-Class Level'
"We are thrilled with the investment in the Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience, which has elevated the attraction to a world-class level," said Seán Connick, CEO of the JFK Trust, which manages the Dunbrody Famine Ship.
"The enhanced exhibition and immersive experience will help to position us as a must-see destination in Ireland's Ancient East, significantly raising our profile internationally."
