Co Laois, which has been making a big effort to attract tourists, has suffered a setback with the closure of one of the most important attractions in the county.
Abbeyleix Heritage House, on the main Dublin/Cork road, will not reopen this season due to lack of funding.
The heritage house, which had been a major tourist attraction in the area, opened in April, 1997, at a cost of nearly £750,000, and included a coffee house, craft shop, tourism information centre and car-park.
Bord Failte had provided £521,463 toward the cost and Laois County Council £160,000. The local community raised £80,000.
The centre got off to a good start in 1997 as it featured carpets manufactured locally for the ill-fated Titanic when it was being built in Belfast.
Abbeyleix Heritage Company, which ran the centre, said it was very disappointed with the closure. It added that it was in negotiations with the principal stakeholders, Bord Failte and Laois County Council, and hoped the centre could reopen in June 2002.
It said the committee was convinced of the viability of the interpretative centre, under the guidance of Bord Failte. The company also urged Bord Failte, Laois County Council, Laois Tourism and all other organisations in the county to help reopen the centre and to recognise the role of voluntary groups.
The chairman of Laois Tourism, Mr Tom Treacy, said he was sorry the centre had closed as it was a badly needed feature in the county.
"If it was used more commercially rather than concentrating exclusively on the heritage aspect, it might be more viable. I hope it will be reopened soon," he said.
A recent study commissioned by Laois Tourism found 72 per cent of tourists surveyed had never visited Laois before. The report proposed a major drive to develop tourism based on local attractions, including Abbeyleix Heritage House.