Céide Field funding will enhance Wild Atlantic Way – Taoiseach

Céide Field funding will enhance Wild Atlantic Way – Taoiseach


Áine Ryan

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has announced a major funding injection of €100,000 for the Céide Fields visitors’ centre in north Mayo. The Office of Public Works funding will be used to upgrade the visual displays at the site thus bolstering the tourism attractiveness of the unique Neolithic site, which is situated on the Wild Atlantic Way.
“I visited the Céide Fields just last year and saw firsthand the upgrades that were needed. I spoke with both local TD Michelle Mulherin and Minister of State at the OPW Simon Harris at the time about the need to update this important tourist attraction in north Mayo,” Mr Kenny said in a statement.
He continued: “The Céide Fields offers us an unrivalled glimpse into the history of Ireland and it is a hugely important location along the Wild Atlantic Way. Today’s announcement builds on the improvements we have been making along the route, including funding for a Signature Point at Keem Bay in Achill and the upgrade to Downpatrick Head, close to the Céide Fields. The announcement is also welcome for local schools, many of whom travel to the site to learn more about our history.”

Potential
Welcoming the announcement, Ballina based TD Michelle Mulherin said she had long been an ‘advocate for maximising the potential of Céide Fields, including the extension of the opening season’.
“This investment complements the development of Downpatrick Head, one of the Signature Discovery Points on the Wild Atlantic Way tourist trail, which took place last summer,” said Deputy Mulherin. “It is also great news for the very dedicated staff of Céide Fields Visitor Centre and welcome news for the Ballycastle and north Mayo areas as a tourist destination.” Her Fine Gael colleague, John O’Mahony TD, echoed the welcome. “This is excellent news for a facility that has constantly been one of the most visited attractions in the region since the Visitor Centre was first opened in 1993,” he said.
Visitors to the centre can enjoy an audio-visual show as well as exhibitions inside. The centre not only presents the archaeology of the site but also the botany, bogs and geology of the area. It is located beside 370ft spectacular high cliffs, just five miles west of Ballycastle.
Deputy O’Mahony explained that the OPW would ‘commence planning with a view to establishing what changes have to be made before moving onward to the procurement phase and installation on the site’.