The Round Tower, Visitor Centre, Clondalkin – Brú Chrónáin was awarded the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Award in the Supporting Tourism category recently. The Round Tower, Clondalkin has become a key tourist destination in the region since opening its door on 3 July 2017. The hugely-successful visitor centre features an interpretative centre, exhibition space, café, gardens, and terrace dining and is nestled in the heart of Clondalkin Village, within minutes of the Grand Canal Greenway, Corkagh Regional Park and nearby Irish Cultural Centre, Áras Chrónáin. It is also home to the Happy Pear in Dublin. The Visitor Centre is the first to tell the story of that unique of Irish cultural features, the Round Tower. Suitable for all ages, the interactive multimedia exhibition tells the story of over 1,000 years of Clondalkin’s history and heritage. The exhibition delves into Clondalkin’s medieval origins from the foundation of St Crónán Mo-Chua’s monastery to revealing intriguing clues to the town’s Viking past. The Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards ceremony, sponsored by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, is held to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work being carried out by Local Authorities all over Ireland.
South Dublin County Council had five projects shortlisted in the following categories; Five Year PlaySpace Programme in Supporting Active Communities, The Round Tower, Visitor Centre, Clondalkin – Brú Chrónáin in Supporting Tourism, The South Dublin County Sustainable Business Programme in Promoting Economic Development, Clonburris Strategic Development Zone Planning Scheme in Enhancing the Urban Environment and Sensory Pig Sty in Tymon Park in Disability Services Provision.
“The Round Tower, Clondalkin has stood witness to over 1,000 years of social and cultural development of the village, from monastic to modern, Viking to Victorian”, said Daniel McLoughlin, Chief Executive of South Dublin County Council. “The restored Mill Cottages on the site of the 8th Century Round Tower are home to 8 rooms in which these stories unfold through sight, sound and stunning visuals. The opening of this exciting facility came after years of work between South Dublin County Council, the OPW and the local community and marks a significant investment by the Council into the economic, and tourism development in the county of South Dublin. We are delighted it has been honoured by Chambers Ireland with this award.”
Pic Ben Ryan
