Official calls on development body to acknowledge castle upgrade ‘disaster’

SHANNON Development, the agency responsible for tourism promotion in the Mid-West, were yesterday called on to acknowledge that King John’s Castle has been a failure in drawing visitors to Limerick.

Extensive renovations carried out at the castle 20 years ago sparked huge controversy when one side of the castle was replaced by a huge glass and metal structure.

Cllr John Gilligan, who lives and works near the castle, said: “It’s about time it was now acknowledged that they got it magnificently wrong. Tourists who come to visit a 13th century castle are confronted by this glass and metal, box-like structure and they just walk away.”