Heritage funding to help historich Drogheda shine
A new plan could transform the historical la landscape in Drogheda, providing a cohesive tourist trail through the town with new lighting, li plaques and signage, traversing the th town from St Laruence Gate to the Old O Abbey and from Magdalene Tower to M Millmount.
A spokesperson for the council said the Drogheda Visitor Signage and Orientation Plan, which is currently on public display, aims to increase tourism stays in the town and a make Drogheda a destination in its own right rather than just a place for people to stay while they visit other areas.
The project is currently at Part 8 Planning stages and includes St Laurence Street., West Street, Narrow West Street and Old Abbey Lane on an east –west town centre axis and Moores Lane, Magdalene Street, Peter Street, Shop Street, The Bull Ring, Barrack Street and Pitcher Hill on a north-south axis.
The council are applying for funding for the project from Failte Ireland’s Developed and Emerging Destiation Towns Capital Investment Programme 2019.
Councillors at the December meeting of Drogheda Municipal District heard the maximum funding available is €500,000 with matching funding of 25% from the council.
The works will include new information and interpretation panels for tourists on streets along both the east-west and northsouth axes, with interpretation features and lighting at ground level in key locations relating to Drogheda’s historical Architecture and key historic figures.
The project also includes simplifying the existing street signage and removal of obsolete and out of date signage to facilitate better wayfinding and sense of place at key arrival points.
The interpretation will also provide information on Drogheda’s key stories. On the East-West axis this will relate to the historical architecture, including the
Old Abbey and St Laurences Gate and the celebration and tale of St Oliver Plunkett.
On the North-South axis this will relate to the historical architecture, including the Magdalene Tower, Tholsel and St Peter’s Church and the stories relating to Millmount and Oliver Cromwell.
‘So if you arrives as a visitor you would be able to find your way through the town with visual signals to make your way from Magdalene Tower to Millmount in a continuous line with visual cues,’ said the council spokesperson. ‘We had experts come over and assess the town as a heritage town to visit and use it as a gateway to visit other historic sites in the North East.’
She said the project will include bespoke signage which will be elegant, durabel and very visible from one point in town to another. The consultants also suggested bronze or bronze appearance panels with writing to highlight the old town wall and other historic sites, footprints to show where people would have come through the gate and improvements to areas including Pitcher Hill.
It is proposed that appropriate lighting will be introduced for existing heritage assets and all of the new interpretation media will reflect and link to information available online and in leaflet format and use a consistent mapping style and presentation.
The project was warmly welcomed by councillors at the meeting and Director of Services Paddy Donnelly said the council encouraged the public to engage in the process and have their say. The plan is currently available to view in Drogheda Civic Offices on Fair Street.