29 June 2012
Fáilte Ireland launches ‘Culture Trail’ to attract more visitors to the area
Fáilte Ireland, with the support of Destination Kilkenny, is delighted to launch the new and exciting
Kilkenny Culture Trail, just in time for our Summer holiday season. It is hoped that it will add a further dimension to the visitor experience here in the Marble City by extending the availability and the breadth of cultural entertainment offerings in Kilkenny during the day to early evening and later at night.
The aim for the Kilkenny Culture Trail is to showcase and highlight the diverse range of cultural offerings, such as heritage venues, theatres, sporting events, food and pub outlets, so that the visitor can immerse themselves in many of our great Irish traditions such as crafting your hurling skills, testing your Bodhran rhythm, participate in literature reading and trying our Irish dance.
It is hoped that the Kilkenny Culture Trail will bring further business to the City’s hotels, restaurants, cafes and pubs, food and culture partners by also offering the Blasta Taste Trail once again this year. Inspired by the Savour Kilkenny Food Festival to discover Kilkenny’s local foods and flavours throughout the summer in a number of Kilkenny’s leading Restaurants, Pubs and Hotels to work closer together to further improve visitor engagement.
Speaking about the Trail, Amanda Horan, Fáilte Ireland Client Services Officer for Kilkenny, said:
“We would like to commend the work of the Destination Kilkenny steering group in working closely with Fáilte Ireland and Kilkenny Local Authorities in developing this new Kilkenny Culture Trail initiative among others, to improve the visitor experience. Indeed, there was a great spirit of co-operation between all tourism and culture businesses in the process, all of whom are critical to the continuous improvement and ongoing success of Kilkenny as a tourism destination.
“Visitors to Kilkenny repeatedly share with us how amazed they are that Kilkenny has so many ‘cultural experiences’ to offer. From Visual Arts, to Design, Mastercrafts, Theatre, quality food offerings that feature local producers ingredients, as well as great pubs and heritage venues hosting wonderful entertainment such as Trad, Folk & Ballads, to classical and contemporary, not to mention our reputation for great Festivals!”
By assisting visitors to engage with more cultural offerings and encouraging them to stay longer in Kilkenny it will bring real benefits to the city’s cultural partners.
Mayor of Kilkenny, Seán Ó hArgáin, warmly welcomed the Kilkenny Culture Trail initiative describing it as a great addition to the excellent tourism product that Kilkenny provides. He said:
“We have seen real improvements in the amount of cultural events in our city this year with a new summer show in our municipal theatre, the Watergate, and we are also making a real attempt, through our public information screen on the Parade, to publicise all of the events taking place in our city. As for our pubs and restaurants, Kilkenny is rapidly becoming a place known for excellence in all we do with some of the best hostelries and finest food on offer anywhere.
From my own point of view, I look forward to playing the bodhrán or guitar in one of the city’s excellent sessions and joining in the festivities this year, both during and outside of our festivals. I warmly welcome everybody who visits our city and hope they enjoy it as much as we do ourselves.”
Pick up a copy of our Culture Trail at our Kilkenny tourist office and various pubs, heritage venues, theatres, hotels and accommodation providers to plan your own Culture Trail experience of Kilkenny City and check out websites at www.discoverireland.ie/Kilkenny and www.Visitkilkenny.ie for more information.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Catherine Whelan
Fáilte Ireland Communications Department
087 6449572/01 8847181
Note for Editor
Fáilte Ireland, the national tourism development authority, was established in 2003 to guide and promote tourism as a leading indigenous component of the Irish economy.
The tourism and hospitality industry employs an estimated 170,000 people and generates almost €5 billion in revenue a year.
Kilkenny Culture Trail Participants:
- Kytlers Inn, Kieran Street
- Cleeres Pub, Parliament Street
- Paris Texas, High Street
- Marble City Bar, High Street
- Egans, John Street
- Langtons, John Street
- Dylans Whiskey Bar, John Street
- Bollards Bar, Kieran Street
- Billy Byrnes, Upper John Street
- O’Gormans Kilkenny House, John Street
- Matt the Miller, John Street
- Breathnachs, John Street
- The Field, High Street
- Pump House, Parliament Street
- Tynans, John’s Bridge
- Lanigans, Rose Inn Street
- Ryans Bar, Friary Street
Blasta Taste Trail:
Restaurants: Kilkenny Design Food Hall; Café Sol; Zuni Café Bar
Pubs: Lanigans Bar; Marble City Bar; The Rafter Dempseys Pub
Hotels: Stratham Bar & Grill@ Pembroke Hotel; Scott’s Bar & Bistro @ Newpark Hotel; Pure Bar @ Hotel Kilkenny