£115k funding boost for St Patrick Centre

£115k funding boost for St Patrick Centre

20 March 2019

THE St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick is one of a number of groups across the district to secure renewed financial support from Newry, Mourne and Down Council.

The centre — dedicated to Ireland’s patron saint — is to receive £115,000 to help with its annual running costs in the new financial year.

Members of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism Committee agreed to make the payment on Monday night when approval to financially support a number of other organisations to the tune of over £500,000 to deliver a range of key projects and services was agreed.

News of the visitor centre’s funding comes several months after the local authority confirmed that a five-year development plan is to be drawn up for the St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick.

The local authority is to join forces with the flagship tourist centre’s management board and Tourism NI to draw up the document which aims to help enhance the visitor centre’s appeal and attract more visitors.

A key focus will be on the use of new digital technology, including augmented and virtual reality to help tell St Patrick’s story to new audiences.

The centre has been financially supported by the district’s ratepayers since it opened and, with the current business plan due to include at the end of this month, council officials are eager to draw up a replacement to ensure the centre continues to play a key role at the heart of the district’s Patrician story.

Council officials say the patron saint’s story and the birth of christianity in Ireland are recognised as one of the district’s key strengths as an international visitor destination in the local authority’s tourism strategy.

They believe the development of a new business plan for the next five years will help identify opportunities for the development of the visitor experience linked to the St Patrick story. 

Most significantly, officials say the plan will identify opportunities to introduce so-called immersive technologies which will have a wider audience appeal. 

Another key part of the new business plan will be to not only increase visitor numbers and revenue and the time people spend in the multi-million pound centre, but within the wider Downpatrick area.

Local politicians are keen to see many of those who visit the tourist facility making their way to nearby shops and businesses and also explore other heritage sites in Downpatrick and the wider area.

The other groups set to benefit from local authority financial support include the Mourne Heritage Trust which has secured £300,00 — the largest slice of the funding cake.

The RNLI is to receive £50,000 for the work it does at Tyrella, Murlough and Cranfield beaches, while Outdoor Recreation NI, which works with the local authority on a number of projects, is to receive £25,000.

The Downpatrick and Co Down Railway is to receive £21,600, with the Artisan markets in Downpatrick and Newcastle sharing £10,000. The National Trust is to receive £9,000.

The recommendation to support the range of organisations has to be formally approved at next month’s meeting of the full council before letters of offer will be issued.