Smart partnership adds new dimension to Thoor Ballylee

THE Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society is looking to the future when it comes to bringing the history of the south-Galway attraction and its link to poet WB Yeats to life.
The society has taken part in an initiative which will make it easier than ever for visitors to learn more about the historic Thoor Ballylee near Gort.
An app has been developed by Great Visitor Experiences with the support of the Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society volunteers.
This app will allow everybody visiting the 14th century tower to discover the story of this unique place was once described by Seamus Heaney as “in cultural terms – the most important building in Ireland” due to its close association with fellow Nobel Laureate for literature, WB Yeats.
The well-preserved fourteenth-century tower was where Yeats spent summers with his family and was inspired to write some of his finest poetry, making the tower his permanent symbol.
As part of the initiative QR codes have been placed on waterproof panels in suitable locations throughout the site which can be scanned by the app, providing an immersive experience for visitors mixing history, poetry and song.
Rena McAllen of the Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society outlines, “We have put in place 10 ‘hotspots’ marked by QR code panels throughout the site at Thoor Ballylee, containing stories, pictures and audio files of Ger Conneely reading Yeats’s poetry.
“This technology, which is free for anyone to use will enable visitors using our interpretive app technology to learn more about the Nobel Poet Laureate and his time at Thoor Ballylee.
“The information can be accessed by downloading the Great Visitor Experiences App on the App Store or Play Store.
“Once downloaded you can search for ‘Thoor Ballylee’ within the app and click ‘Free Download’ to get content relating to the Yeats Site directly to your phone.
“We advise you download the app and content where you have good Wi-Fi access. Use the app to navigate through the site during your visit and immerse yourself in the history and heritage of this beautiful place.”