New tourism product to promote Kells is unveiled

A unique tourism package which is expected to play a major role in the promotion of Kells was officially launched on Friday night by Kells Town Council cathaoirleach, Conor Ferguson and Kevin Kidney of Fáilte Ireland. Business and community leaders in Kells believe that 'The Book Of Kells Experience', a product which is aimed at attracting tourists on a three or four-day package to Kells and surrounding areas, will prove to be a major boost to the tourist industry in the area. The package, which is the brainchild of local woman, Lucy O'Reilly, has the backing of Kells Chamber of Commerce and president, Jess Olohan, said the Chamber was delighted to have been able to offer support to the project. Kevin Kidney told the gathering that tourists will not come to Kells or Trim as individual towns - but they will come for a 'Boyne Valley package' - so by bundling the Boyne Valley with its depth of heritage from Neolithic farmers 6,000 years ago right through to modern times, it is possible to attract tourists to this region. He spoke of the important role that Kells plays in the Boyne Valley region and noted the role of stakeholders, the town council and the county council, in presenting the town to its best advantage. He also noted that all the work of all the agencies like Fáilte Ireland, Meath Tourism, town and county councils would come to nothing unless initiatives like The Book of Kells Experience brought it to life for the visitor. Lucy O'Reilly asked the audience to imagine they were back in the year 1076 and could see a group of horsemen clatter past in a great hurry up towards the monastic site, pausing to touch the Termon Cross before entering through the gates. "We stand and wonder what's going on. A few minutes later, another commotion - more horsemen coming from the Tara direction - go up to the monastry, push aside the monks at the entrance, and all we hear is the sound of battle. The second lot of horsemen ride back towards Tara. "A while later, a body is carried out slowly in a procession back towards Tara. The body was that of Murchadh, crowned High King of Tara three days previously - and he sought sanctuary in the Round Tower from a rival for the throne who was trying to kill him. His killer was Maelaechlainn, who wanted the throne." She said the whole point of the story was that one does not have to go far out of Kells to look for history - the history is all there and we need to make that history attractive so that visitors are inclined to come and take part in the experience. "Other towns have a lot less history, yet aggressively market what they have - and tourists will flock to those towns every year," she added. Cllr Conor Ferguson said the objective of the council was to tidy up the town of Kells. A lot has been done already with the new car park outside St Colmcille's Church, and more will be done. He said that projects like 'The Book Of Kells Experience' actively sought to bring tourists to the town instead of sitting back and waiting for them to come. "There is so much untapped potential and unrealised value in Kells and the wider Boyne Valley," he said. The Book Of Kells Experience is a three- and four-day itinerary that includes accommodation, food and tours around Kells and its environs. It includes elements of heritage in the area that tourists would be interested in - from the monastic site, the spire of Loyd, St Ciaran's Well and the high crosses, Causey Farm, the Kells Victorian Waterworks, Clonabreany Cemetery and Tailteann House. The package will be adapted to include one-day tours of Kells and overnight stays. Eight, 14 and 27-seater coaches are available to collect tourists from Dublin and bring them to Kells as part of the package.