Tag Archives: St. John’s castle

Clare Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is in talks with ministerial colleagues ahead of an expected decision on the immediate future of the Shannon Heritage sites. As things stand, sites including Bunratty Castle and King John’s Castle are due to close at the end of the month while the likes of Craggaunowen and Knappogue Castles have remained closed since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. “I’ve spent quite a considerable amount of time this week chatting to my colleagues, including ministers with a decision-making capacity on Shannon Heritage,” said Deputy Crowe. “Minister Michael McGrath has confirmed to me that the file has reached his department and it is now being examined, with a decision due in the coming days. “I have reiterated the importance of these sites to Clare to the Minister, particularly given the year we have been facing. “This morning, I held an impromptu meeting with Shannon Heritage workers following a separate meeting I was at …

Shannon Heritage, Ireland’s largest operator of tourist attractions and part of Shannon Group plc, has announced a strong performance in the first three quarters of 2015 with visitors number at one of its flagship attractions, Bunratty Castle up by 14%. To the end of September 2015, key attractions in the Shannon Heritage portfolio showed an increase in visitor numbers. Bunratty Folk Park visits were up 14% on 2014, with King John’s Castle experiencing growth of 8%. In Dublin, the Shannon Heritage run Malahide Castle and Gardens saw a 15% increase in visits. Market research indicates that visitors from the US and Europe were up on 2014, whilst there was also significant increase in the amount of corporate events held in Shannon Heritage locations compared to last year. Speaking about the figures, Shannon Heritage CEO John Ruddle was delighted with the performance so far this year. “With 2014 having been the strongest year since 2007, the challenge was to keep the …

Shannon Heritage has announced that an 11% increase in visitor numbers was recorded in 2014, offering further evidence of a resurgence in local tourism and indeed in the domestic economy. Shannon Heritage employs more than 300 people during peak season and it operates seven daytime visitor attractions, including Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Craggaunowen, Knappogue Castle and Walled Garden, Dunguaire Castle, the Brian Boru Heritage and Malahide Castle and Gardens. It also has another four evening attractions, with medieval banquets at Bunratty, Knappogue and Dunguaire Castle, as well as a traditional Irish night at Bunratty Folk Park. Overall, they drew 637,000 visitors last year, with the day attractions up by more than 13%, while there are said to have been particular gains from Britain, America and Europe. Indeed, last year was the company’s most successful in terms of visitor numbers since 2007. The single biggest success among the Shannon Heritage operations last year was at King John’s Castle in Limerick, …