Appeal for new Slieve Croob tourism strategy

Appeal for new Slieve Croob tourism strategy

20 March 2019

SLIEVE Croob DUP election candidate Maynard Hanna has highlighted the need for what he has described as an “ambitious and all encompassing tourism strategy” for the Newry, Mourne and Down area. 

Mr Hanna – who is aiming to retain the seat currently held by party colleague Garth Craig — believes the local council area is “missing out on a lost opportunity” to promote its history and heritage.

The election candidate last week visited the St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick to speak with its director, Dr Tim Campbell.

He revealed that he worked closely with Dr Campbell to set up the successful Young Ambassadors Programme which brought young Americans to Northern Ireland with a view to promoting education and understanding with regard to historical and cultural themes. 

“I believe that the tourist potential of the story of Patrick and his connections to Slieve Croob and the wider Down area are worthy of further promotion and exploration,” continued Mr Hanna.

He said he was proud of the area’s strong history and heritage, but suggested it was missing out on utilising and selling the Christian story of Patrick and his connections within South Down.

Mr Hanna continued: “While Patrick, a Roman youth born on mainland Britain, captured by Irish pirates and brought as a slave to these shores, is very much linked and promoted with Slemish Mountain in Co Antrim, his work and life in South Down is undersold. 

“Patrick was a religious figure, not a political one. His life, conviction, work and links to the local area should be told and sold to the international community as well as our own.”

Mr Hanna pledged that if elected on May 2, this will be one of many issues he will be working on, seeking to build the infrastructure in the locality to promote and facilitate tourism growth to help bring jobs and investment to the area.