Fáilte Ireland has announced an investment of €4.3m in four key heritage sites along the Wild Atlantic Way.
The project, in partnership with the Office of Public Works (OPW), is designed to enhance the visitor experiences at each location.
It will see new exhibitions and major upgrades, with Fáilte Ireland providing up to 75% of the funding for the projects.
The four heritage sites to benefit are:
- Blasket Island Visitor Centre in Kerry (total investment of €2.25m) which will see the development of a new signature viewing point and a number of interpretive galleries at the centre
- Céide Fields in Mayo (total investment of €1.15m) where the visitor centre will be enhanced with a new exhibition and interpretation space to showcase new archaeological material
- Inis Mór in the Aran Islands, Galway (total investment of €600,000) will see a major upgrade of the existing Visitor Interpretation Centre at Dún Aonghasa and the introduction of interpretative information at other key sites
- Carrowmore in Sligo (total investment of €350,000) with the visitor exhibition to be improved and updated with information about the monuments at Carrowmore, as well as the nearby ancient sites at Knocknarea and Carrowkeel
The Wild Atlantic Way | Image: tourismireland.com
Minister of State for Tourism, Brendan Griffin, said: "We are very lucky in Ireland to have such breath-taking natural scenery and heritage, and the Blasket Islands, Céide Fields, Inis Mór and Carrowmore are some of the finest examples of this.
"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."
Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, added: "The OPW has a world-class portfolio of heritage sites which are enjoyed by millions of visitors every year.
"All of these sites have natural beauty and a unique story to tell, and this partnership will enable us to both invest in the future and preserve the past for future generations to enjoy."
