Report Paul Murphy
A plan that aims to position the Boyne Valley as a leading global destination within Ireland’s Ancient East was presented to Meath County councillors this week. The plan – named Boyne valley Cluster Orientation Infrastructure Projects – is a collaborative tourism and economic development initiative for the Boyne valley region supported by Meath County Council, Louth County Council, Tourism Ireland, local businesses and Failte Ireland.
When put into effect it will promote the region’s rich heritage, natural environment, and cultural attractions including the Bru na Boinne UNESCO World Heritage site and increase visitor numbers and revenue. Anthony McGuigan, Director with the Paul Hogarth Company, landscape architects and urban planners made the presentation to councillors. The company is taking the project through to the “shovel read” stage.
He said the Boyne Valley Drive already existed but the plan was to realise the opportunity that existed within the various assets of the valley. The “drive” linked up various sites within the area but there was so much more it could offer beyond just one mode of transport. A number of strategic plans had been developed over the last number of years and Meath County Council had been a strong supporter of these. The overall valley could be much more strongly promoted as a whole than individual sites.
It was his opinion that people don’t experience the best of places within the region when they were in a car – they experience it when they get out into the natural environment, see what was on offer and spend some time there. The reimagination of the Boyne Valley Drive was very much about creating a strategy and this project was the first step in creating an infrastructure to achieve that reimagination. A steering group which would meet every two months was being put in place which would embrace all the organisations involved – Failte Ireland, Meath and Louth County Councils, Opw, National Monuments Service, National park and Wildlife Services, Coillte and landowners.
They would move slightly away from a heritage-based presentation of the region into a more holistic approach which would include heritage but also the landscape of the valley and showing off the river Boyne. If people arrive to the valley by vehicle it is important how work out how to get tourists onto trails and cycle paths and into towns and settlements. There were excellent bus and train links into the region, giving the Boyne Valley a distinct advantage compared to other regions.
The aim was to form the region into “clusters” in Louth and Meath and see how they could be “tied together” with infrastructure right across the region. The plan was greeted with a warm welcome by councillors Ronan Moore, Joe Fox, Alan Tobin, Sean Drew, Sarah Reilly, Dave Boyne, David Gilroy, Padraig Coffey, Nick Killian, Eugene Cassidy, Emer Toibin, Maria Murphy, Paddy Meade, Gerry O’Connor, Peter Caffrey, and Michael Gallagher.
