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Heritage Sites

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 January 2016

Tuesday, 19 January 2016

Questions (178)

Seán Kenny

Question:

178. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons who visited each Office of Public Works heritage site in each of the years 2014 and 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2175/16]

View answer

Written answers

A total of approx 4.45m people visited OPW-managed heritage sites in 2014. The breakdown is as follows.

The figures for 2015 are still in the process of being compiled and will be available shortly. Provisional estimates indicate however that the total visitors have again increased over the 2014 total.

It should be noted that these figures relate to those sites where the OPW Heritage Services provide Guide facilities and where visitor numbers are fully recorded. There are significantly more visitors to heritage sites in OPW care which are not attended by staff and where there is no facility to record footfall. Overall therefore, it is clear that there are many more people attending at heritage sites throughout the country than the formally recorded figures would indicate.

2014 Visitor Numbers

Site Name

Total

Altamont

58,023

Arás

5,197

Ardfert Cathedral

6,867

Athenry Castle

13,532

Aughnanure Castle

32,289

Ballyhack Castle

2,471

Barryscourt Castle

8,860

Battle of the Boyne/ Oldbridge Estate

71,137

Blasket Centre

44,074

Boyle Abbey

6,927

Bru na Boinne

48,996

Newgrange

139,173

Knowth

58,883

Cahir Castle

66,747

Carrowmore

31,097

Casino Marino

18,790

Castletown House & Parklands

285,410

Céide Fields

28,484

Charles Fort

74,446

Clonmacnoise

149,472

Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre

3,988

Derrynane House

24,874

Desmond Castle

10,507

Desmond Hall

11,362

Donegal Castle

40,626

Dublin Castle

217,758

Dún Aonghasa

121,001

Dungarvan Castle

11,639

Dunmore Cave

40,830

Emo Court

12,082

Ennis Friary

15,967

Farmleigh Estate

402,773

Ferns Castle

6,875

Gallarus Castle

43,650

Garinish Island

55,088

Glebe House and Gallery

24,085

Glendalough Visitor Centre

79,810

Hill of Tara

11,892

J F Kennedy Arboretum

92,236

Jerpoint Abbey

23,370

Kilkenny Castle

259,250

Kilmacurragh Gardens

50,517

Kilmainham Gaol

328,886

Listowel

6,196

Loughcrew

11,079

Main Guard

5,774

Maynooth Castle

25,268

Mellifont Abbey

5,783

National Botanic Gardens

541,946

Newmills Corn and Flax Mills

3,476

Ormond Castle

9,116

Parke's Castle

15,423

Pearse Museum

34,011

Pearse's Cottage

7,206

Phoenix Park Visitor Centre

135,790

Portumna Castle

15,211

Rathfarnham Castle

Closed for works

Reginald's Tower

31,029

Rock of Cashel

272,503

Roscrea Heritage

29,987

Ross Castle

83,225

Scattery Island

2,491

Skellig Michael

15,315

Sligo Abbey

15,309

St. Audoen's Church

27,502

St. Mary's Church, Gowran

2,002

Swiss Cottage

22,802

Tintern Abbey

13,433

Trim Castle

76,511

TOTAL Visitors to OPW Guided sites 2014

4,448,329

4.45millon

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