Fine Gael TD Patrick O’Donovan has welcomed figures he has received from Minister of State Brian Hayes that there has been a doubling of vistor numbers over twelve months to the Desmond Banqueting Hall in Newcastle West. Figures given by Brian Hayes to Patrick O’Donovan in response to a Dail question showed that 4,290 visited the Castle in 2012 and 8,538 had visited in 2013 up to the middle of September, showing that the final figure for 2013 could be over 9,000.
Patrick O’Donovan congratulated the staff of the Office of Public Works in the Castle together with the local voluntary castle committee, local community organisations and traders for the increase in visitor numbers in 2013, and said that with a small amount of help, there is no reason that the figure cannot go over 10,000 early in 2014.
“While visitor numbers have doubled in twelve months it is clear locally that there are still huge numbers of people here in West Limerick who haven’t visited the site and it is important for OPW to look at ways of getting local people to visit the historical sites that they have control of here in Limerick, including Askeaton, Adare, Kilmallock and Newcastle West.”
“I am very pleased with the approach of Minister Brian Hayes since he came to office. He has since coming to office visited the sites and towns in Limerick where OPW have places under their control. He has seen at first hand the work that OPW has completed and the work that is being carried out and the co-operation between his office and local communities across Limerick. We need to ensure that this co-operation continues and I am working with OPW to try to have a package in place that markets all of the sites in Limerick together, and encourages people who are visiting one of the sites to consider visiting the others as well.”