Page 74 - Our Wexford

JOHNSTOWN

CASTLE

If you’re planning a visit to Johnstown Castle this summer you can take
a nostalgic journey through Irish farming and social history in the Irish

Agricultural Museum, enjoy the stunning views or meander through the
woodland garden and around the lakes.

Teagasc Director Prof Gerry specifically brought on board by is thriving, requires no annual
Boyle set up a working group Teagasc to assist them with the revenue funding from the state,
with a view to re-imagining the capital redevelopment of the castle has received tremendous public
offering at Johnstown Castle. and grounds. and private support is buzzing with
Partnering Teagasc on this The Trust will then be appointed volunteers and visitors. The Trust
working group were Wexford also successfully developed and
County Council and Fáilte operated the Dublin Tenement
Ireland. Experience and in 2015 took
WE SEE THE PROJECT responsibility for Strokestown Park
Prof Gerry Boyle says, “We have
always been honoured to be AS SOMETHING and the Irish National Famine
custodians of the Johnstown Castle THAT WILL CREATE Museum.
Estate and while the estate and WIDER ECONOMIC Kevin Baird, CEO of the Trust,
the Irish Agricultural Museum are explains that their fundamental
open to the public we knew that BENEFITS THROUGH approach on any project is to
the future offering with public JOB CREATION AND combine people, place and
access to the castle itself could be participation. “We know that
vast. We have in the past hosted THE MULTIPLIER Johnstown Castle is a stunning
Department of Agriculture events EFFECT – WHERE place. At the Trust we don’t take
at Johnstown Castle, partnered on projects and work on them
with organisations like Wexford OTHER BUSINESSES in isolation; we endeavour to get
Festival Opera to host the full AND SUPPLIERS IN THE people involved. For instance
Opera Festival here in 2007 whilst at Fota House we have a very
the Opera House was being built AREA BENEFIT FROM impressive community of people
and for many years hosted civil TOURISM ACTIVITY dedicated to preserving and
wedding ceremonies. We always interpreting this special place for
had a bigger vision, it was just about everyone. At Johnstown Castle
finding the right partners.” we hope the people of Wexford
by Teagasc to operate the re- will come onboard with us to
In the meantime, Teagasc issued
a public tender looking for a imagined Johnstown Castle estate help create a unique visitor
visionary partner to come on and grounds for seven years. experience.”
board with them to re-imagine the The Irish Heritage Trust, an Jennifer McCrea of the Irish
future of Johnstown Castle and independent charity, was launched Heritage Trust continues, “We
Estate. The Irish Heritage Trust in 2006; its ethos is to care for specialise in creating great visitor
were announced as the successful special places in a way that also experiences and differentiating the
applicants from this tender process delivers real benefit to people attraction: working with Teagasc,
and a partnership with Teagasc and the country. The Trust took this is our vision for Johnstown
to deliver a bright future for the responsibility for Fota House in Castle. In addition, the aim will be
estate was born. The Trust was December 2007; today the property to make the property financially

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