FOUR TOURISTS ATTRACTIONS in Ireland have been awarded a total of €73 million to develop their projects.

€44.3 million from Fáilte Ireland along with €29 million from other public and private investors is being given to tourist locations in Cavan, Donegal, Dublin and Mayo.

Shannon Pot and Cavan Burren Park in Blacklion, Co Cavan are receiving €4.8 million from Fáilte Ireland, while Fort Dunree and Head in Buncrana, Co Donegal has been awarded €9.3 million.

€20.2 million of the Fáilte Ireland funding is going to Westport House Estate and Gardens in Westport, Co Mayo, with another €10 million to ‘This is Ireland’ in Dublin 1.

The This is Ireland attraction, which will be located in the north city centre, primarily features a flight simulator and covers Irish history.

The Fort Dunree project in Buncrana plans on building a funicular, which would be the only one in Ireland, to carry visitors up the hill to the High Fort.

Funiculars are short railways that usually go up a hill or mountain, with cars pulled up and down by cables.

In Westport, funding will be put towards a “Wild Realms” project focused on the site’s wild flora and native woodlands, while the development at the Shannon Pot Discovery Centre and Cavan Burren Park, which educates visitors on the River Shannon and its impact on Irish life, will include the installation of an elevated viewing platform.

Minister for Culture Catherine Martin said the investment in “creative and impactful large-scale visitor experiences is critical to strengthening Ireland’s reputation internationally as a must-visit holiday destination and provides a catalyst for further innovation in the tourism sector”.

“This is the most significant investment in visitor attractions ever undertaken by Fáilte Ireland that will have far-reaching national and regional economic benefits,” Martin said.

It is hoped that the projects will create 8,000 direct and indirect jobs and generate €290 million from domestic and international visitors.

Fáile Ireland CEO Paul Kelly said that driving the growth of regional tourism is “now more important than ever as we rebuild the sector and recover from the devastation of Covid-19″.

“The four awarded projects are truly best-in-class. They are diverse, engaging and unique and will help visitors connect with Ireland and bring the country’s vibrant culture, heritage and people to life,” Kelly said.