Tag Archives: Shannon Heritage

SHANNON Heritage attractions Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and Craggaunowen are set to come alive with entertainment this June Bank Holiday weekend with street theatre and Viking recreations all part of the fun. Craggaunowen is bracing itself for a Viking invasion with a thrilling exhibition of Norse Culture planned on Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6 from 10am to 5pm. Hide your valuables because the Vikings are going to be rampaging through the lands of Craggaunowen – you’ll feel as if you are travelling back through time to an era when Viking warriors roamed Ireland! Several battles will place during the day with warriors unleashing their fierce battle skills for visitors to witness. Battles will take place at 12.30pm and 3pm daily on the Craggaunowen Castle Green. Fighting is expected to be hot and heavy but unlike historic battles of yesteryear there will be no blood spilt. Away from the battle front, visitors can experience demonstrations of Viking skills …

SHOULD the Clare County Council takeover of Shannon Heritage proceed it can’t come at the expense of services in Clare County Council or the ratepayers of Clare. This was the view expressed by Senator Martin Conway in the Seanad this week, as he raised the transfer with Minister of State Robert Troy.  “Some €15 million over three years is required, but that will only be the start of it. I understand that due diligence is still under way. “This investment is necessary so that ratepayers and the council do not take a financial hit. We cannot compromise critical services that the local authority provides, for example, housing. “If the council is expected to take over the facilities – it is happy to do so – then the Government needs to step up to the plate and provide the necessary financial resources to make this happen, allow it to be successful in the short term and make it sustainable into the …

KING John’s Castle has been transferred to Limerick City and County Council, and while the transfer of Shannon Heritage assets to Clare County Council is taking longer, it is still very likely to go ahead in the near future. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council PJ Ryan said that talks on the transfer are still continuing and going quite well. “It’s ongoing at the minute, my understanding is that the Department is negotiating with the Council at the moment, and that there are positive negotiations regarding the first three years after Clare County Council taking over from Shannon Heritage.” He said that the take over in Clare is far more complex than Limerick City and County Council taking over the running of King John’s Castle, which it actually owned already, but did not operate. “King John’s Castle is a different situation, there’s only one entity there, there’s only a handful of staff. In Clare you’d be talking about four different units …

TEENAGERS are taking over the town of Ennis this Sunday for Discover Ennis Heritage Day. The free event this Sunday, April 3, has been organised by the Transition Year students of St Flannan’s College and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir in collaboration with Experience Ennis and Shannon Heritage. From 1pm to 5pm the town locals and visitors to the town will have the opportunity to experience an afternoon jam-packed with activities and live entertainment. Heritage activities will include historical reconstructions of spinning wool, churning butter, iron-age weaponry and strawcrafts. There will also be plenty of live entertainment including trad music, Irish dancing, face painting, and lots lots more.  Free student-led walking tours will leave the Chapel Lane Market Building on the hour from 1pm to 4pm. At 4pm in the Chapel Lane Market Building there will be story-telling for adults and children (over seven years of age) by the world-renowned seanchaí, Eddie Lenihan. This collaboration between the Transition Year students of St Flannan’s College and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir is …

AN impatient response given by the Taoiseach when asked about the transfer of Shannon Heritage was criticised at Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council, with members of Fianna Fáil as critical of the Taoiseach as anyone. Some weeks ago Mr Martin told the Dáil that Clare County Council “should get on with it” regarding taking over the Shannon Heritage tourist attractions, comments that were very unfavourably received in Clare. At the March meeting Councillor PJ Ryan put forward a motion asking that the Council would seek a meeting between the Taoiseach and Council CEO Pat Dowling, to discuss the financial implications of the proposed transfer. Councillor Ryan said the staff of Shannon Heritage are anxious about the situation. He also said that financial support is required for the take over, and that it will be profitable, but that could take some time. In the Dáil, the Taoiseach had compared the proposed take over with Cork County Council taking over Spike …

BUNRATTY Castle & Folk Park will be open full time next month, Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton has told the Dáil. The Galway TD was responding to questions from Deputy Cathal Crowe about the fate of Shannon Heritage sites. “I understand that Bunratty Castle and King John’s Castle are currently open on a four-day-week basis until March 2022. “I am pleased to advise the Deputy that it is envisaged that those sites will reopen fully in April. “I am also happy to report that, as the public health restrictions put in place due to Covid were eased in the second half of 2021, visitor numbers to Shannon Heritage sites have increased. “With the removal of all the restrictions and the return of transatlantic flights into Shannon Airport this month, I am confident that visitor numbers to the sites will continue to grow.” Minister Naughton also relayed the fact that the OPW has agreed to re-engage on its maintenance responsibilities and …

WHILE Clare County Council CEO Pat Dowling last week said that he couldn’t leave the local authority exposed by taking on the Shannon Heritage sites in Clare (including Bunratty Castle) without due diligence, the Taoiseach has said they should not hang around. A report presented to county councillors said that the Council couldn’t go ahead until a national funding package was provided to it, and in the Dáil Clare TD Cathal Crowe asked his party leader to help provide such a package. “Last June, Cabinet signed off on a proposal to transfer Shannon Heritage sites to local authorities. “Clare County Council is currently undertaking due diligence on the transfer of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Knappogue Castle, Craggaunowen and a retail outlet at the Cliffs of Moher. “The due diligence is extensive but it has thrown up the matter of the incredible costs involved in taking over these sites.  “The thatch is falling off the roofs in Bunratty, as I …

CLARE County Council won’t be taking over the Shannon Heritage sites in the county until a funding package is put in place to support it. That was the message contained in a report provided to councillors at their meeting on Monday. Councillor Alan O’Callaghan had asked for an update on the expected transfer. He noted that staff have been “in limbo” for some time now, while he said repairs and improvements are required at some of the sites.  Responding CEO Pat Dowling said that the Council has put a lot of emphasis on the transfer, and there have been meetings with the staff on two occasions. He said that it is crucial that the appropriate level of due diligence takes place. “I will not and cannot expose Clare County Council to any unforeseen expenditure.” Further detail to Mr O’Callaghan’s query regarding this due diligence was provided in a response from Director of Rural Development Leonard Cleary. “Clare County Council and …