Visitor numbers to Doneraile Park set to top 500,000
FIGURES released this week reveal that number of people visiting Doneraile Wildlife Park jumped by 11 per cent in 2016 – with 480,000 passing through its gates during the year.
The figures show that the park was the fourth most popular free Irish visitor attraction last year and the busiest outside of the capital.
The park also boasted the highest visitor numbers of any free or fee-paying attraction in Cork, beating the likes of Blarney Castle and Fota Wildlife Park.
Numbers visiting the north Cork park were also above other wellknown attractions across the country, including The National Museum in Collins Barracks, Farmleigh and Bunratty Castle & Folk Park.
While the park has a long way to go to catch up the Guinness Storehouse and the Cliffs of Moher, all indications are that numbers visiting Doneraile are set to increase again this year.
Michael O’Sullivan, Secretary of the Doneraile Development Association (DDA), told The Corkman the park was already well on the way to passing last years total.
“We are expecting visitor numbers to top the half-a-million mark this year, in fact we are more than half-way there already,” he said.
THE majestic surroundings of Doneraile Wildlife Park, once considered to be one of Ireland’s hidden gems, has been unveiled as Cork’s most popular tourist attraction.
Figures released this week by Fáilte Ireland showed the number of visitors to the park was up by 11% last year - with a total of 480,000 people passing through its gates during 2016.
The figures showed that Doneraile Wildlife Park was the fourth most popular free Irish visitor attraction in 2016 and the only one outside of the capital to finish in the top eight.
The only other free attractions to draw more visitors last year were The National Gallery in Dublin (755,577), The Irish Museum of Modern Art (584,856) and the National Botanic Gardens (583,539).
The figures showed the Park finished above many other high-profile free attractions including the National Museum of Ireland (479,261), The Science Gallery at Trinity College (413,900), The National Museum, Collins Barracks (411,391) and Farmleigh (383,335).
Interestingly, the Park also recorded more visitors than many well-known fee-charging attractions last year, including Powerscourt House and Gardens (467,507), Kylemore Abbey & Garden (458,000), Kilmainham Gaol (390,370) Bunratty Castle & Folk Park (352,286) and the Rock of Cashel (338,830).
The Park also proved to be the most popular draw for visitors to Cork ahead of Fota Wildlife Park (465,281), Blarney Castle (420,000) and the Crawford Art Gallery (178,302).
While t|he Park has a long way to go to catch up with the Guinness Storehouse which attracted 1,647,408 fee paying visitors or the Cliffs of Moher (1,427,166), all indications are that numbers visiting Doneraile are set to increase again this year.
Michael O’Sullivan, secretary of the Doneraile Development Association (DDA) told The Corkman the Park was already well on the way to passing last year’s total.
“We are expecting visitor numbers to top the half-a-million mark this year, in fact we are more than half way there already with a busy schedule of events planned for the summer months,” said Michael.
These include live orchestral recitals, falconry exhibitions and pageants with actors in period costumes guiding people around the 500-acre park.
Michael said that a huge amount of work had gone into developing the park as a leisure attraction and more is being done to develop its potential as a cultural heritage site.
“I think part of its success is that the park is safe, has lots of paths that people can explore and can be used by walkers, joggers or families on a day out. We also have the tea-rooms which have proven to be very popular,” he said
Michael said the DDA was also working on a proposal with Cork County Council and the OPW to open up the ground floor of the stately house on the estate.
“Of course a huge attraction are our magnificent gardens, some of which date back to the 17th and 18th century and were heavily influenced by those at places like Versailles and Hampton Court, albeit on a smaller scale. It is fair to say that we have 400-years of botanical heritage that is unrivalled across Ireland and the UK,” said Michael.
“There is nothing else quite like Doneraile Wildlife Park anywhere in Ireland. This is something that has been recognised by the tourism bodies, specialist botanical interest groups and the public at large which is why our visitor numbers are growing each year.”