Offaly County Council has announced plans to develop two tourism projects in Shannonbridge and Birr as €406,000 has been secured through Fáilte Ireland’s Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, co-funded by the EU and the Government of Ireland under the EU Just Transition fund.
This funding will assist in the development of two projects including the development of a sustainable visitor experience in the heart of Shannonbridge, the gateway to Clonmacnoise, and showcase that Birr is a centre for tourism through the enhancement of existing attractions and by the strengthening of connectivity between attractions.
Anna Marie Delaney, Chief Executive of Offaly County Council welcomed the funding confirming “this will enhance the visitor experience and enhance tourism in Offaly” adding “in Shannonbridge, funding of €218,000 will be used for the planning and design of a ‘plaza’ / public amenity area off the Main Street (which will lead down to the Shannon Callows, and the planned Dublin – Galway Greenway) and identify the feasibility of planning and designing of a floating walkway over the Callows. This project will also seek to locate the plaza area and any potential for parking thereon, within the wider context of parking requirements within the village itself. Offaly County Council also welcome the additional funding awarded to the OPW and Waterways Ireland for projects in Clonmacnoise and Shannonbridge respectively.”
Ms Delaney further confirmed “In Birr, funding of €188,183 will be used to improve pedestrian connections to visitor amenities and attractions boosting the ‘Walkable Urbanism’ of the town. High-quality granite pedestrian paving will be installed to improve access to Birr Castle Demesne along its boundary at William Street. These works will complement the significant works which have been undertaken in the vicinity of Birr Castle, including the new visitor entrance and improvements to the access roads to the castle such as in Green Street.”
Fáilte Ireland’s Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme aims to transform tourism across 8 counties in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Ireland’s Ancient East by diversifying the local economy and providing new employment opportunities for workers and communities that were heavily dependent on peat. The scheme will develop the midlands into a leading regenerative tourism destination, creating more reasons for domestic and international tourists to visit the Midlands while also sustaining jobs, businesses and local communities in the region. It will also support the transition of the Midlands to a carbon neutral destination through funding of sustainable tourism projects that are designed to have significant regenerative impacts on local communities and peatlands.
Paddy Mathews, Head of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands at Fáilte Ireland said: “Developing the tourism offering in Offaly has the potential to transform this county and the wider midlands into a world-class sustainable tourism destination. Co funded by the Government of Ireland and European Union, the EU Just Transition Fund is a once in a generation funding scheme and projects like those funded in Shannonbridge and Birr, under our Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme will help create more reasons for domestic and international tourists to visit the Midlands while also sustaining jobs, businesses and local communities. We look forward to working closely with Offaly County Council to deliver this project and support the development of regenerative tourism for the benefit of visitors and communities across the region.”