Ministers Donohoe & Ring Announce Further €1m in Funding for ‘Ireland’s Ancient East’
14 December 2015
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, along with Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring TD, today announced over €1m in a further phase of funding for capital projects in Ireland’s Ancient East including three projects in Cork. The funding is being made through Fáilte Ireland’s ‘New Ideas in Ancient Spaces’ Capital Grants Scheme and is for a further 13 projects within the Ireland’s Ancient East initiative. This second phase of investment brings the total funding under the ‘New Ideas in Ancient Spaces’ initiative to €2.26m and comes ahead of a new signage scheme to brand the region which is due to be rolled out in 2016.
This funding under the ‘New Ideas in Ancient Spaces’ Capital Grants Scheme follows a Fáilte Ireland call for applications from interested parties across the region. A further phase of funding in capital supports for the initiative is expected in 2016.
Launched last April, Ireland’s Ancient East is Fáilte Ireland’s latest tourism initiative and seeks to build on the wealth of historical and cultural assets in the east and south of Ireland. The new initiative seeks to give visitors a personal experience of 5,000 years of Irish history through a journey of discovery in a lush green landscape with stories told by the best storytellers in the world. Ireland’s Ancient East stretches from Carlingford to Cork and is intended to match and complement the Wild Atlantic Way in terms of scale and ambition.
Commenting on this further phase of capital funding for the project, Minister Donohoe today said:
“I am delighted to announce a further round of funding for ‘Ireland’s Ancient East’ and to ensure we maintain the momentum of this initiative and build on the impressive tourism assets we have in the east and south of the country. As this project evolves and grows, I am confident that it will be a perfect complement to the Wild Atlantic way in the west and that it will generate significant additional visitors, revenue and tourism jobs in the east.”
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring TD, said:
“At the end of the day, beyond all the marketing and advertising, the test of a holiday destination is the experience on the ground. We know that there are great experiences to be had based on our heritage and past but that we can do more to bring these to life. These projects today will incrementally boost the appeal of Ireland’s Ancient East and will deliver memorable experiences to those who come to explore the region”.
The Projects in Cork receiving funding in today's announcement are:
- Cobh Heritage Centre, Co Cork - €28,443
- The Clockgate Tower Youghal, Co Cork - €200,000
- The Lifetime Lab (Steam Centre Visitor Experience), Cork City - €59,685
This is in addition to two projects in Cork which were funded through the first phase of the ‘New ideas in Ancient Spaces’ Capital Grants Scheme: Titanic Connections, Cork (€50k) and Journeys of Exploration, Anglo Irish Heritage at Blackrock Castle, Cork (€160k). Details of the three new projects are below.
Fáilte Ireland Director of Business Development, Paul Keeley, today emphasised:
“We in Fáilte Ireland are working directly with businesses and communities on the ground to turn the promise of the ‘Ireland’s Ancient East’ brand into a reality. By the end of the year, we will have helped to jump-start or augment projects within Ireland’s Ancient East and will have readied the region to deliver first class experiences to visitors during summer 2016.”
This funding comes as Fáilte Ireland prepares to install approximately 100 Ireland’s Ancient East orientation signs and 300 county boundary signs across the region in 2016. This new signage scheme will encourage visitors to explore Ireland’s Ancient East by making them aware of the wide range of things to see and across the area.
Cobh Heritage Centre, County Cork
The aim of the project is to tell the story of Cobh’s maritime past which is not presently depicted in the heritage centre. The proposed exhibition space will also complete the current story by adding the West Indies story of Irish servants/slaves as a prequel to the main maritime emigration theme. This project also includes the addition of a multilingual self-guided audio tour. The new exhibits in conjunction with the existing storyline and proposed audio tour, would contribute in making the “Queenstown Story” a world class experience and a memorable and educational voyage through Irish history and culture.
The Clockgate Tower, Youghal, County Cork
This project will result in a permanent interpretative exhibition over four floors of the clock tower that will bring its historical story to life. Interpretation will include costumed storytellers presenting and animating 700 years of history, in addition to storyboards and screen imagery supporting the story. The visitor will be able handle goods, ledgers, sit in a cell, listen to the sounds of street brawls, of rebellion, manipulate models, ask and answer questions and engage directly with the storytellers. An audio-visual companion will enhance the experience for non-native English Speakers.
Lifetime Lab, Cork City
This project will develop a multi-sensory 360 visitor experience targeted at visitors who are interested in industrial heritage. This will be done by transforming the boiler and engine rooms of the former Victorian waterworks (Lifetime Lab) in the city. This will enable storytelling around three and a half centuries of industrial development and establish links to other Cork experiences which chart the development of the old waterworks in tandem with the emergence of Cork city as a merchant and military stronghold. The project will utilize narrative holograms to tell the story of the building and its works.
Related News:
Initial Funding for ‘Ireland’s Ancient East’ including €210,000 for two projects in Cork
