28/02/2022
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
Investment supported by Fáilte Ireland’s Surprising Stories Scheme
South Dublin County Council, along with Fáilte Ireland, is delighted to announce the launch of the visitor interpretation enhancements recently completed at the Round Tower Visitor Centre, Brú Chrónáin, Clondalkin. The project, which was co-funded by the Council and the National Tourism Development Agency through its Surprising Stories scheme, places a strong focus on telling new stories about monastic life and the Round Towers of Ireland using a range of media including a free downloadable multi-lingual audio guide, interactive touchscreens, and printed interpretative panels.
The free audio guide takes visitors on a tour through time exploring 1,000 years of history broken down into 8 distinct exhibit rooms as well as bringing the monastic garden to life. The guide is available in 5 languages – English, Irish, French, German and Spanish. There is also a children’s version available in both English and Irish along with three interactive touchscreen points with games and quizzes making the visit a much more immersive experience for all ages.
The project provided an excellent opportunity to animate the monastic garden using bedding panels to provide visitors with information on what was typically grown, and why it was important to monastic life. Dotted throughout the garden are signs to prompt visitors to take the perfect #towerselfie and share their own Round Tower story. Further value has been added to the visitor experience with the addition of a heated outdoor area which has been developed to offer a multipurpose space for visitors.
Speaking at the launch at The Round Tower Visitor Centre, Fiona Fitzgerald from Fáilte Ireland’s Dublin team said: “Attractions are key to stimulating demand, creating and sustaining jobs, and delivering an economic return both locally and nationally. Pre-Covid, 68% of all overseas tourists visited attractions of historic or cultural interest therefore improved foreign language provision across attractions is a key selling point as we look to 2022. By bringing over 1,000 years of history to life, the Dublin Surprising Stories scheme will ensure Dublin’s historic and cultural attractions remain on the must-visit list for domestic and international visitors.”
Mayor of South Dublin County, Cllr Peter Kavanagh said: “We are grateful for the support of Fáilte Ireland’s Surprising Stories funding as it has helped us to bring an improved offering to Clondalkin’s Round Tower Visitor Centre - Brú Chrónáin for both domestic and international visitors. We have been able to add local voices and stories to the exhibit, increase our language offerings, and create more interactions with our visitors. The development of the free downloadable audio guide allows our visitors to enjoy the exhibit at their own pace. This work means we are ready and excited for what’s to come in 2022. We have a motto in Clondalkin, Ár nDúchas Slán – to preserve our heritage, and this addition to Brú Chrónáin will help us no end.”
Destination Development is one of the key opportunities to help the tourism sector recover from the effects of the past two years and investing in the experience a visitor has at a visitor attraction is critical to how successful a destination will be, and by extension, is essential in driving visitor growth.
ENDS
For more information, contact South Dublin County Council Communications Unit at communications@sdublincoco.ie
FOR THE EDITOR
About South Dublin County Council
South Dublin County Council is one of four local authority areas in the Dublin region.
The Council provides and funds a broad range of services including housing, roads, walking and cycling routes, parks and playgrounds, libraries, sports facilities, litter control, arts centres, enterprise units, fire services, community infrastructure and financial support. It also serves as a platform for local democracy with 40 councillors spread across seven electoral areas.
Bounded by the River Liffey to the North and the Dublin Mountains to the South, the County lies 16 kilometers south-west of Dublin city centre and has an administrative footprint of 223sq. kilometers.
The County has nine main villages Clondalkin, Lucan, Palmerstown, Rathfarnham, Tallaght, Templeogue, Saggart, Rathcoole and Newcastle and is bounded by adjoining counties of Wicklow, Kildare, Dublin City, Fingal and Dún Laoghaire.
About the Round Tower Visitor Centre
The Round Tower, Clondalkin was founded in the 7th century by St Mochua and is one of only four remaining round towers in Co. Dublin. Thought to have been built around 790 AD, the tower stands at 27.5 metres high, still has its original cap and is thought to be the most slender of all the round towers in Ireland.
The Round Tower experience incorporates an interactive visitor centre, public gardens, café, terraced dining area, exhibition and gallery spaces and shop.
The exhibition can be enjoyed through eight distinctive themed spaces of the refurbished 19th century Mill Cottages and brings to life the monastic setting, the Viking legacy, the 19th and early 20th-century setting of Clondalkin, a busy Dublin village, as well as exploring the role that round towers performed both socially and politically in Ireland.
The visitor centre is located close to Corkagh Park, the Grand Canal Greenway and Áras Chrónáin Irish Cultural Centre, which combined together add a different heritage experience beyond the city centre and close to the natural outdoors of Dublin in South Dublin County. More information can be found online at www.theroundtower.ie/ Please contact the County Promotion Unit with any queries on 01- 4149000 or via email econdev@sdublincoco.ie
Images
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Cllr Peter Kavanagh Mayor of South Dublin and Fiona Fitzgerald of Fáilte Ireland at launch of enhanced visitor experience at the Round Tower Visitor Centre -
Cllr Peter Kavanagh Mayor of South Dublin and Fiona Fitzgerald of Fáilte Ireland at launch of enhanced visitor experience at the Round Tower Visitor Centre -
Fiona Fitzgerald of Fáilte Ireland and Cllr Peter Kavanagh Mayor of South Dublin at launch of enhanced visitor experience at the Round Tower Visitor Centre -
Fiona Fitzgerald of Fáilte Ireland and Cllr Peter Kavanagh Mayor of South Dublin at launch of enhanced visitor experience at the Round Tower Visitor Centre