New tourist trail for Dublin

ATTRACTIONS:A TOURISM trail which will stretch from the gates of Trinity College to Kilmainham Jail and has been called the "golden mile" is being developed by Fáilte Ireland.

The trail will take in some of Dublin’s best known landmarks, including Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse creating an east-west trail which it is hoped will be a major attraction for visitors to the capital.

The trail is being developed in conjunction with Dublin City Council, the Office of Public Works and the Dublin Civic Trust and plans are due to go to the Fáilte Ireland board for approval imminently.

It is envisaged that the trail will employ full-time guides and amateur performers depicting historical scenes from events such as the hanging of Robert Emmet in Thomas Street, the site of which is another landmark on the proposed trail.

It is also hoped to make places like Dublin Castle and Christchurch Cathedral more accessible for tourists.

It is proposed to have four separate quarters: the university quarter centred around Trinity College; a Viking quarter in Wood Quay; an industrial quarter centred on the Guinness Storehouse; and a military quarter which includes Kilmainham Jail, Collins Barracks, the Royal Hospital and the Islandbridge war memorial.

Fáilte Ireland has identified the route which follows Dame Street, Thomas Street and James Street as the historical spine of the city, but many visitors go straight from Trinity College to the Guinness Storehouse.

Fáilte Ireland director of industry and policy development Aiden Pender said he hoped the trail would bring together many of Dublin’s most significant landmarks into a single co-ordinated walk.

“The buildings are all there, but the stories need to be told better. We need animation and interpretation,” he said. “We are looking at a walking trail that is harmonious and integrated using smart phone apps and the latest technology.”

He also believed that the trail would have a particular resonance with British visitors who have been staying away from Ireland in increasing numbers over the last two years.

“We have lost ground in Britain. One of the things that marks out Dublin, whether we like it or not, is that there is a very strong British dimension to our heritage,” he said.