FÁILTE Ireland, in partnership with the OPW, has today announced a major investment of €2.25 million in the Blasket Centre in Kerry, to enhance the visitor experience at the OPW site.

The investment, which forms part of Fáilte Ireland’s strategic partnership with the OPW, will see the development of a new walkway and signature viewing point at the Blasket Island Visitor Centre.

It is hoped that this joint initiative between Fáilte Ireland and the OPW will significantly improve the visitor experience and double visitor numbers to 100,000.

Continued below…

Fáilte Ireland is providing 75% of the funding for the project from its Capital Grants budget, with the remainder of the funding being provided by the OPW.

The new signature walkway, which will be in place by the end of the year, will include an exciting viewing platform with dramatic vistas of the coastline and the Blasket Island.

The funding will also help to upgrade a number of interpretative galleries at the site, bringing to life the rich story of the Island through interactive tables, which will be available in multiple languages.

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D., visited the Blasket Centre today to see first-hand the way in which the new signature viewing point will transform the site. He said:

“We are very lucky in Ireland to have such breath-taking natural scenery and heritage, and the Blasket Islands are one of the finest examples of this. I am delighted to see Fáilte Ireland and the OPW working in partnership to improve and transform the Blasket Centre and many key heritage sites, opening them to even more tourists, enhancing the visitor experience and growing regional tourism growth.”

Fáilte Ireland’s strategic partnership with the OPW is one of a number of engagements the tourism body has entered into with other State agencies to work together to grow tourism. It has also partnered with Coillte and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to develop visitor experiences.