OPW minister visits Nenagh

On Tuesday, November 30, Minister Patrick O’Donovan visited Nenagh where he met with a number of elected representatives and staff of Tipperary County Council and the Office of Public Works.

He first visited Nenagh Town Park, which is situated alongside Nenagh River, and received an on-site briefing from Director of Services, Marcus O’Connor and James Swords, Acting Senior Executive Engineer, Flood Relief Schemes, and OPW engineers on flood risk issues along the Nenagh River. Following this, he visited Nenagh Castle and spoke of the collaboration between the OPW, Tipperary County Council and other partners in respect of the Historic & Cultural Quarter of Nenagh. The concepts which are currently being explored as part of the Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF) were discussed.

Minister O’Donovan said: “The OPW and Tipperary County Council have a strong working relationship and have been working hand in hand here in Nenagh to make one of the town’s key attractions, Nenagh Castle, accessible to visitors following its conservation by the OPW in 2012. We look forward to working in partnership with the council, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Fáilte Ireland to support the development of Nenagh’s Historic and Cultural Quarter as a leading tourist destination and gateway to Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.”

Passing through the medieval Castle Garden, provided by Tipperary County Council and opened in 2019, the Minister then visited the North Tipperary Genealogy and Heritage Centre, which is located in the former Governor’s House. He was given a brief synopsis of the history of the building and shown the model of the former Gaol structure by Nora O’Meara, Genealogist.

The Minister then marked the opening to the public of the new Tourist Office at Banba Square. He was given a guided tour of the facility, which opened its doors to the public on December 1. Nenagh Tourist Office has been designed to be a celebration of Nenagh and features work by local artists as well as recognising the achievements of many Nenagh people in various fields such as sports, science, music, dance and literature.

Cllr Marie Murphy, Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, welcomed Minister O’Donovan to Nenagh and said: “Nenagh is well positioned to be an attractive location to visitors with its close proximity to Lough Derg and its many heritage assets.” She looked forward to the further development of the Historic & Cultural Quarter, which would be a significant investment in the future of the town and county.

Cllr Michael O’ Meara, Cathaoirleach of Nenagh Municipal District, paid tribute to all involved in the development of the Tourist Office. He said: “This will be a fantastic facility, which will be of interest to tourists and Nenagh people alike.” He urged people to come and visit and see for themselves the various exhibits on display and was confident that it would be an enjoyable experience for all.