Fascinating facts contained in new Killyleagh tourist guide

Fascinating facts contained in new Killyleagh tourist guide

11 July 2012

THE vice chairwoman of Down District Council has helped launch a new tourist guide to Killyleagh.

The Best of Killyleagh guide is aimed at luring more day-trippers and tourists to the town.

The guide was launched at a photo call in the town on Friday when Miss Maria McCarthy, the newly elected council vice chairwoman was presented with the first copy by Mrs. Adeline Vance and Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, representing Killyleagh Community Shop who are financially supporting the project.

Miss McCarthy said she was “delighted” to be able to support the efforts to promote the town to a wider audience. She was joined by fellow Killyleagh area councillors William Walker and Terry Andrews.

“Killyleagh has got so much going for it from a cultural tourism point of view. The aim is to draw day-trippers and tourists to the town. We have set out details of a series of attractions and town trails to make a visit worthwhile,’’ explained guide editor Chris Hagan.

“People are fascinated by the castle so it’s little surprise there has been an amazing response to the feature on amazing facts about Killyleagh Castle.

“We also reveal the Killyleagh link to Takabuti, the Ulster Museum Mummy and the American GI’s who arrived in Killyleagh exactly 70 years ago.’’

The promoters of the guide hope to see visitors using it in conjunction with the free heritage trail leaflet which sets out a historic walk through the streets of the town featuring some of its most famous people including British Museum founder Sir Hans Sloane, Egyptologist Edward Hincks, the United Irishman Archibald Hamilton-Rowan, Presbyterian cleric Henry Cooke and footballer David Healy.

“The guide contains a series

of little known facts about the town such as how Van Morrison drew on his childhood visits to the area for one of his most famous musical compositions, while Virgin founder Branson has direct links to the Hamilton family and Killyleagh castle,” said Chris.

Copies of the guide are available from shops in the town including Barrett’s newsagents, Picnic and the Post Office.