The new Dunbrody Famine Ship visitor experience in New Ross, Co. Wexford is officially opened.
Taoiseach Simon Harris TD opened the new and enhanced visitor experience this afternoon.
It follows an investment of €1.6million from the Department of Rural and Community Development, Fáilte Ireland, and Wexford County Council.
The upgraded experience tells the famine emigrant story, centred on a reproduction of an 1840s vessel that set sail for America during the Great Famine.
The new immersive visitor experience uses a mix of digital interpretation and archive material, such as personal letters and records from the time, to bring to life one of the most pivotal events in Irish history, helping visitors to connect with the human stories of those who journeyed across the Atlantic.
Fáilte Ireland estimates that over a ten-year period, the Dunbrody Famine Ship experience has the potential to attract over 211,000 additional local, domestic and overseas visitors, generating over €9million in visitor expenditure for the local economy and supporting 36 jobs.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Taoiseach Simon Harris TD said: "The €1.6 million investment in this immersive experience not only helps to preserve the memory of the Great Famine but also strengthens our cultural heritage and local tourism economy.
"The Dunbrody Famine Ship experience will connect visitors with the human stories that shaped our past, while generating jobs and supporting the future prosperity of New Ross and the wider Wexford region. I commend all those involved in bringing this important project to life."
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in developing the Dunbrody Famine Ship visitor experience here in New Ross. As Minster for Rural and Community Development, it was a great honour to approve funding of €880,000 towards this phase of what is a larger commitment I have made of €5,560,000 to the wider New Ross Tourism Transformation Project.
"As you know, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund delivers projects that will make a lasting difference in communities for generations to come. I think it’s fair to say this project absolutely fits that bill – it will be a game-changer for New Ross, and I cannot wait to see the full tourism transformation project completed.”
Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin TD said: “This new visitor experience will serve to engage and educate visitors from at home and abroad while also preserving the human stories of The Great Famine. Following this development, Fáilte Ireland estimates that the upgraded experience has the potential to attract over 211,000 additional local, domestic and overseas visitors which will help drive tourism in Ireland’s Ancient East”
Paul Kelly and Wexford native, CEO of Fáilte Ireland said: “Investing in standout attractions and unique experiences is a key element of attracting international visitors to Ireland and encouraging domestic tourists to explore different areas of the country. Fáilte Ireland is proud to contribute €295,000 in capital investment to the overall €1.6million Dunbrody Famine Ship upgrade, delivered in collaboration with Department of Rural and Community Development and Wexford County Council.
"This attraction was already a key part of the tourism offering in Wexford and Ireland’s Ancient East and these upgrades offer a new immersive visitor experience that tells the important story of our emigrant past, while also boosting the local economy. Fáilte Ireland estimates that over a ten-year period, the Dunbrody Famine Ship experience has the potential to generate over €9million in visitor expenditure for the local economy and support 36 jobs.”
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