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FÁILTE IRELAND HAS unveiled a new tourism campaign for the centre of the country, rebranding the midlands as ‘Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands’ as a way to boost tourism in the area.
A focus on the River Shannon, the development of new food networks and trails and a creation of new walking hubs are part of the campaign to attract a larger number of visitors. The plan is to entice visitors with the area’s walkways and lakes, and the campaign will promote activities like walking, cycling, fishing and boating.
The area covered extends from Leitrim down to East Clare, including Longford, Roscommon and East Galway, and parts of Westmeath, Cavan, North Tipperary and Offaly.
The area will become a tourism development zone, with Fáilte Ireland initially investing €2 million to develop the region and for marketing campaigns. Further investment will follow, the organisation says.
The River Shannon will be a central focus of the brand, and Fáilte Ireland is developing a ‘Shannon Masterplan’ to drive tourism areas on and around the river and in surrounding towns.
A walkway and trail network, the Beara Breifne Way, will cover the whole area, with a number of towns along the route to be identified as “walking hubs.”
Shane Ross, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, said that the brand “will significantly enhance the Midlands as a tourism experience and bring growth and jobs to the whole region.”
Some of the country’s finest natural assets are in the Midlands, including spectacular lakes, walkways and blueways. Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands will bring these gems to life, offering a unique experience to both domestic and international visitors
This new brand has been created to work alongside other brands that Fáilte Ireland has created in order to market various parts of the country, such as the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East.
The area overlaps in parts with Ireland’s Ancient East, with businesses in those areas told to choose what branding suits them best.
Fáilte Ireland says that the brand, name and logos were developed after extensive research with consumers across Ireland and other countries including the UK and France. Over 10,000 people were interviewed.
An advertising campaign will be aimed at Irish audiences this summer, and will be directed at a international market once the brand develops.
The campaign will transform the midlands, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, Minister of State for the Office of Public Work, said.
I’ve heard first-hand from people and businesses across the region about the major potential this area has to attract visitors and the willingness there is to grow tourism.
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3G patchy, 4G almost non existent around Ireland al least. Let’s start on 5G!
So Should I upgrade my iPhone 4 yet or wait?
Your iPhone 4 doesn’t support 4G, so it will only work on 2G and 3G networks. So your phone is behind already
Upgrade to an iphone 7 and to hell with everyone else.
I know its old! What I don’t know is if its better to upgrade now or wait
Your device is capable of a theoretical speed 42.3Mbps so it’s still very good as long as you are near a tower. So really you can make do with your iPhone 4!
Was in the US recently and discovered my iPhone 4 has 4G. Forgot to turn off data and cost me a fortune in 15 secs :-(
Viking this is probably not the case.. Some of the operators advertise their UMTS networks as ’4G’ even though they are 3G. They do this because no one owns the terms ’4G’ or ’3G’ and simply renaming their 3G network as ’4G’ gives the perception that their network is more advanced that their competitors. That’s America for you!
Somebody give that poor man a simple yes or no answer!
Im going to start working on 11G now, by the time they get there Ill probably have invented it and ill be rich!
Start at 1H, totally take everyone by surprise.
3G , 4G …. 5G …..
Could someone please explain these terms in English.
Is this just another way to get more money out of us consumers or are there real benefits to society?
Each is a generation. One generation is an technological evolution of the other. The higher the number, the faster the internet on your phone.
The higher the number the bigger the tumour..
Doesn’t matter a shite when you still can’t get even 2G in certain parts of rural Ireland.
The higher the number, the more you have to pay to use it!!!
It has a lot to do with the consumer product cycle. Just about the time your phone stops holding a battery charge, they develop a new “network technology” so you will buy a new phone to go with the new network and the new contract with your provider that includes a new price.
I still have an old Motorola phone bought in China for 5quid that still works–and it goes a week between charging! Of course, I can’t tweet or update my FB…life’s critical elements are therefore beyond my reach when driving.
I’d settle for a signal 3 are a disaster, now they have 02, will 3 get better or 02 worse ?
We haven’t got 4G yet and no idea when we will.
I think I can live without the power of the xG network.
5g cant even get 2g ffs
Is there a network that uses Henry McG….?
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