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.”

Shannon Development, he said, had projected visitor numbers of more than 250,000 a year. But he said the castle draws fewer than 50,000 visitors.

Mr Gilligan said: “Shannon Development refuses to give out figures, saying they are commercially sensitive. Sensitive to who? The only place King John’s Castle is in competition with is Bunratty, which is also run by a Shannon Development subsidiary.

“They won’t release figures, because they are so bad. It is time the failure was acknowledged so we can move on and try and carry out work e to make it a major tourism destination.”

The Castle Lane Tavern, adjacent to the castle and also run by Shannon Development, has been closed down for a number of years.

Mr Gilligan said: “The tavern was supposed to be another Durty Nelly’s. But it has failed because the castle has failed. I work near the castle and day after day I meet visitors, many from the US, who just turn and walk away once they see the entrance to the castle.

“Two visitors from Connecticut asked me how anybody could allow this happen to a Norman castle. It’s a disaster. And it’s position alongside the 12th century St Mary’s Cathedral overlooking the Shannon should make it one of the biggest visitor attractions in the country.

“Tour operators have stopped bringing tours there for years. It should be the jewel in the crown, but they got it disastrously wrong.

“I have been saying it so much over the years, I could hum it to music.”

Mr Gilligan said he had reports Shannon Development have been given approval to spend €5 million on the castle, but this was not confirmed.