Lecale area ‘ignored’ in tourism blueprint

Lecale area ‘ignored’ in tourism blueprint

22 February 2017

LECALE has been “left out” of a major new five-year strategy designed to transform tourism across east and south Down, according to a local community body.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council has been accused of concentrating too much on the Mournes and Slieve Gullion in the new tourism blueprint at the expense of Lecale and Downpatrick and the legacy of St Patrick.

The criticism, the latest in a series of concerns raised about the strategy, has come from the council’s own Downpatrick Electoral Area Forum — one of a number of fora set up by the council to ensure the views of local communities across the district are recognised and catered for.

Forum members were so concerned about what they believe is a “very serious” situation for east Down they have formally written to council chief executive, Liam Hannaway, outlining their concern.

The criticism comes just weeks after South Down MP, Margaret Ritchie, launched a scathing attack on the tourism strategy, labelling it “superficial” because of the way it has diminished the potential of the St Patrick Story.

Her criticism was then echoed by councillor Patrick Brown, chairman of the council’s influential Strategy, Policy and Resources Committee, who said St Patrick is an internationally recognised Irish asset whose story should be used to encourage visitors to visit in the area.

The tourism strategy is due to be formally launched by the council on March 7 at a special function in the Slieve Donard Resort and Spa in Newcastle.

However, the criticism from the Downpatrick District Electoral Area Forum (DEAF) has left the council with the growing problem of how to persuade east Down people that the strategy is not too heavily weighted towards the Mournes.

Downpatrick councillor, Cadogan Enright, is a member of the DEAF and chaired the meeting at which it was decided to write to Mr Hannaway. He said there was a consensus across all the groups represented that the tourism strategy has “gone astray.”

“There was a bubbling up of concern from a range of different community groups about the status of Downpatrick and St Patrick’s Country in the tourism strategy,” said Mr Enright.

“It is clear that the new council does not ‘get it’. The policy seems to exclusively want to promote the outdoors, our mountains and our coast. That would be a valid addition, but not to the exclusion of promoting Downpatrick as a major tourism attraction and St Patrick right across the Irish tourism industry,” he added.

Councillor Enright claimed the whole Lecale area has been left out of the strategy.

“It’s two pillars are the Mountains of Mourne and Slieve Gullion and the Coast of Mourne — Lecale does not get a mention at top level,” he said,

“I have requested that the ‘coastal’ side of the project specifically mentions Lecale, but I am increasingly concerned that the council will publish its tourism strategy mentioning only the Mournes and Slieve Gullion at the top strategic level. This is very serious for East Down.”

“The DEA are correct to be worried, and I am concerned that other councillors in East Down are not picking up on this issue.”

A council spokesman said the St Patrick story is recognised as a key strength by the council in this strategy, in addition to other key points of differentiation, such as the Mournes, and the strong provision of activity tourism product in the region.  

“There has been a huge level of investment in St Patrick as a tourism product by the council, Tourism NI and other bodies, over the past 16 years. Further work is required to ensure any future development of the St Patrick tourism product can be aligned to international market opportunities,” said the spokesman.

“The strategy recommends preparing two visitor experience development plans. The Mourne Coast Experience Development Plan will include Downpatrick and its linkages with the coast and Lecale through the life and heritage of St Patrick, and other relevant historical accounts,” he added.