City centre to be transformed by €5.5m ‘Medieval Mile’

A €5.5m “Medieval Mile” investment which is set to “transform” Kilkenny and make it one of the most attractive city centres in the country was officially launched yesterday.

The Medieval Mile runs from Kilkenny Castle to St Canice’s Cathedral and is designed to help position Kilkenny as a must-see destination for overseas visitors.

As part of the scheme, money will be spent by Fáilte Ireland in three projects: A museum at St Mary’s Church; a Great Garden along the River Nore through the centre of the city; and a visitor experience on High St.

The initiative was launched by Phil Hogan, the environment minister, who said Kilkenny is “steeped in rich culture and history” and is one of Ireland’s top tourist destinations.

“This investment will reinforce the city’s position as a major tourism hub and will make it more attractive for people to do business,” said Mr Hogan.

He said the investment would in addition help the entire south-east tourism brand and be part of a marketing campaign linked with existing attractions in Waterford and Wexford.

Fáilte Ireland CEO Shaun Quinn said Kilkenny is a city of significant strategic importance to overseas tourism to Ireland. “The Medieval Mile Project, which will incorporate a number of integrated projects in the city centre, will give Kilkenny a competitive edge when it comes to attracting more overseas visitors to the city,” said Mr Quinn. “This is not only good for tourism but also for businesses, retailers, and jobs.”

A successful tourism destination needs to provide opportunities for visitors to “engage with the narrative”, he said.

Mayor of Kilkenny Sean Ó hArgáin said he was excited that funding has been secured for this project, “which will pull together our rich assets and treasure”.

The €5.5m is phase one of a strategic development plan valued at €15m to be delivered by Fáilte Ireland and the Kilkenny Local Authorities, working with Kilkenny Tourism and local arts interests, over four years.

The number of international visitors to Kilkenny rose from 206,000 in 2010 to 214,000 in 2011, constituting 30% of all visitors to the south-east.