Free admission to OPW visitor heritage sites
The Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Patrick O’ Donovan, has announced that admission charges to certain OPW Heritage sites are being waived as part of the Government’s July Stimulus Plan in an effort to encourage domestic tourism and support the tourism economy.
The measure will take effect from today, July 27th, and will remain in force until the end of the year. This measure is being implemented as a support to the domestic Irish tourism economy and to provide a greater appeal to Irish people to stay at home and take staycations and short breaks within Ireland particularly over the next six months.
“From my previous experience as Minister for Tourism, I am aware that the Visitor sites in the care of the OPW are highly prized by Irish people” the Minister said today. “Many of us visited places like Glendalough and the Rock of Cashel on school tours and they are a big part of our childhood for a lot of us. I’m convinced that the fondness and pride Irish people harbour for our national heritage sites is a result of our collective childhood memories. That’s why I think that this initiative I am introducing today as part of the Government’s July Stimulus will appeal to people who are looking for a different holiday experience that has something for everyone.”
OPW manages 70 visitor sites around the country including some of the most iconic historic locations like the Rock of Cashel, Dún Aonghasa and Castletown House. These sites play a very significant part of the cultural and heritage tourism offering and last year attracted a total of over 9.3m visitors, many of them foreign tourists. Research by Fáilte Ireland indicates that significant numbers of domestic visitors also cited history and culture destinations as one of their motivating factors for visiting places in Ireland. The Minister has acted to capitalise on this by making the majority of these places more accessible for those on a budget who are looking for an enjoyable way to spend their 2020 holidays.
FULL DETAILS
A full list of the OPW sites and their charging regimes is available at OPW Heritage Sites or check www.heritageireland.ie for additional information on each site including opening times, booking requirements, contact details, etc. We advise that you check with the individual heritage sites for openings, booking policy, etc, prior to travelling, as restrictions will be in place at many sites.