Westmeath County Council welcomes substantial investment for the enhancement of Athlone Castle Visitor Centre

Athlone Castle Visitor Centre Castle Keep daylight

Fáilte Ireland have announced that an investment of €3.2 million will be made in Athlone Castle under the Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, part of the EU Just Transition Fund. This new project will result in the delivery of interpretation, facilities, and visitor journey enhancements throughout Athlone Castle Visitor Centre.

Westmeath County Council has announced plans for significant enhancement works at Athlone Castle Visitor Centre. The project has been awarded €3.2 million through Fáilte Ireland’s Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, co-funded by the EU and the Government of Ireland under the EU Just Transition fund.

This project follows a comprehensive Visitor Experience and Orientation Review that was conducted in 2020 and 2021, which included detailed recommendations on measures to revitalise Athlone Castle and deliver an engaging, enjoyable, accessible, and memorable experience for visitors. The core project is to provide interpretation, facilities, and visitor journey enhancements, from the castle entrance ramp to the courtyard entrance, reception, retail space, and interior spaces of the attraction. It also includes a reconfiguration of the interpretation and an upgrade of ageing utilities and facilities, including mechanical and engineering upgrades, aesthetic and visitor interventions and improvements in the courtyard and upper battlement areas.

Fáilte Ireland’s Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme aims to transform tourism across 8 counties in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Ireland’s Ancient East by diversifying the local economy and providing new employment opportunities for workers and communities that were heavily dependent on peat. The scheme will develop the midlands into a leading regenerative tourism destination, creating more reasons for domestic and international tourists to visit the Midlands while also sustaining jobs, businesses and local communities in the region. It will also support the transition of the Midlands to a carbon neutral destination through funding of sustainable tourism projects that are designed to have significant regenerative impacts on local communities and peatlands.

Liam McDaniel, Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council welcomed the announcement, stating that:
“Athlone Castle is a nationally significant visitor attraction in the heart of Athlone on the west bank of the River Shannon. This project will enhance the Castle’s position as a flagship cultural attraction within the Hidden Heartlands region and a vital component of the Athlone destination experience. It will drive visitors to the region, boosting local employment opportunities and celebrating this important element of our cultural heritage.”

Carmel Duffy, Manager of Athlone Arts and Tourism said:
“We are delighted to receive approval of this investment for Athlone Castle Visitor Centre and look forward to working with Fáilte Ireland to deliver this project, which we feel will be transformative for the Castle, Athlone and the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands region. It will deliver a clearly organised and highly engaging visitor experience, reflecting the immersive history of the castle and the town with a reconfigured visitor journey through authentic historic spaces, engaging with unique artefacts, compelling media and interactive opportunities for all ages and abilities.”

Paddy Mathews, Head of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands at Fáilte Ireland said:
“Developing the tourism offering in Westmeath has the potential to transform this county and the wider midlands into a world-class sustainable tourism destination. Co funded by the Government of Ireland and European Union, the EU Just Transition Fund is a once in a generation funding scheme and projects like the delivery of interpretation, facilities, and visitor journey enhancements throughout Athlone Castle, funded under our Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme will help create more reasons for domestic and international tourists to visit the Midlands while also sustaining jobs, businesses and local communities. We look forward to working closely with Westmeath County Council to deliver this project and support the development of regenerative tourism for the benefit of visitors and communities across the region.