The addition of the Rathfarnham Rebellion Trail to the South Dublin County Heritage Trail App was officially launched by the Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Cllr. Emma Murphy at Pearse Museum on Wednesday 5th April. The addition of Rathfarnham as a trail to the app has been funded by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media through their Decade of Centenaries programme, and developed in partnership with South Dublin County Council Libraries and the Council’s County Promotion Unit.
Rathfarnham is the third village trail to be added to the app, joining Clondalkin and Tallaght. The Rathfarnham Trail has 17 individual heritage points of interest in and around the village. The combination of image, text and audio for each point of interest makes the experience both immersive and engaging for the user, bringing the social and cultural history to life. The fully interactive and user-friendly app is available in Irish, English, French and German, and by using Android or Apple maps directs users to nearby places of interest. The app is free to download to mobile phones and tablets by searching “South Dublin County Heritage Trail”.
Rathfarnham village’s historical importance to the Irish War of Independence is a key component of the trail. Sites such as Pearse Museum/St Enda’s School, Rathfarnham Castle, Butterfield House, Loreto Abbey and the old Rathfarnham RIC Barracks are some of the points of interest for history buffs.
Speaking at the launch the Mayor of South Dublin, Cllr. Emma Murphy said, “I am confident that the launch of the Rathfarnham Rebellion Trail will highlight the area’s significance in the Irish War of Independence and promote Rathfarnham as a centre of Irish Culture.
The app is a valuable education tool and is an engaging experience for users.”
Speaking of the importance of one of the trail locations, Pearse Museum/ St Enda’s School, the Mayor continued “It is particularly relevant to host the launch of the Rathfarnham Rebellion Trail here, in one of the most important buildings to the foundation of the State. Padraig Pearse walked these hallways, taught in these classrooms, and inspired Irish patriotism, that would lead to his ultimate desire of a fight for Irish freedom. In this very space, Pearse created an epicentre of Irish Art, Culture and Education, that although nowadays may be seen as the norm, in his time, was no less than an act of defiance and bravery”.
Ralph McGarry, of the County Promotion Unit at the Council’s Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development Directorate said “Digital technology has changed how visitors interact with the tourism sector in recent years. More and more people are accessing information through digital means, be it through their smartphone, tablet, or QR codes, to help search for and book holidays, secure tickets to visitor experiences, or access information on places of interest. Digital trails through mobile apps are one such way people are engaging with their surroundings. It is essential nowadays to offer visitors to our County, and locals alike, information about the amazing stories untold all around us. The Rathfarnham Rebellion Trail as part of the South Dublin County Heritage Trail provides an immersive means of exploring and interpreting the amazing stories of this wonderful place, and in so doing enhancing the visitor experience”.
“The Rathfarnham Rebellion Trail is just one of many investments South Dublin County Council is making to develop the visitor economy locally which includes developing the Dodder Greenway, and progressing the opportunity to develop a mixed-use hospitality, retail, lifestyle, offering at the Castle Courtyard at Rathfarnham which will have the potential to create employment and investment in the area”, he continued.
