Emerald Park’s Na Fianna Force is a thrill-a-second rollercoaster that will leave you wanting more

It was Ronan Keating who once said life is a rollercoaster, you just gotta ride it. Emerald Park (formerly Tayto Park) in Co Meath opened its new themed land called Tír na nÓg yesterday, and I was one of the first people to try it out.

Despite the sounds of screaming, sights of pale faces getting off the rides and the smell of fear, I couldn’t wait to jump on board.

There are three new attractions at Emerald Park: Na Fianna Force, The Quest, and The Celtic Dreamer.

Na Fianna Force, the most action-packed ride, is the one I instantly ran towards.

The suspended-thrill rollercoaster takes less than two minutes, but quite a lot happens in that time.

You’re taken high up into the air and then the speed kicks in. You’ll spin around, go upside down and feel weak at the knees – and you’ll want to do it again and again.

Seven years in the making, Tír na nÓg now means theme-park lovers don’t have to jet off to Disneyland Paris or Thorpe Park across the water for an action-packed day out.

The Quest is a family-themed “boomerang” rollercoaster, while the Celtic Dreamer is a wave-swinger attraction, more suitable for families or those who don’t want to go too fast too furiously.

The new land is filled with Irish mythology, fantasy themes and Celtic music. It’ll remind you of our ancient culture and the stories we all heard as children.

If you’re the one person in the group who refuses to go on the rides and is stuck minding the bags, you’ll have plenty to look at.

The immersive land includes over 30 swords, 70 shields, 120 arrows, 70 spears and 15 bows – all hand-crafted by Blacksmith of the Boyne Valley, An Gobha.

The opening of Na Fianna Force attracted about 65 rollercoaster enthusiasts. They had travelled from near and far to experience the unparalleled adrenaline rush of a rollercoaster ride.

One man said he believes it’s better than the Nemesis Inferno at Thorpe Park, the ride made famous by The Inbetweeners.

Along with the famous Cú Chulainn and Viking Voyage, the park now has enough rides to keep thrill-seekers busy all day.

The €22m development continues the vision of Emerald Park’s late founder Raymond Coyle.

“We are thrilled to unveil Tír na nÓg after seven years of dedicated work and innovation,” said Charles Coyle, managing director of Emerald Park.

“This new addition to Emerald Park is not only our commitment to creating unparalleled experiences, but also a landmark in amusement park attractions, with Europe’s longest intertwining coasters right here in Ashbourne, Co Meath. The opening is a testament to the enduring legacy of my late father Raymond Coyle, who I know would be so proud of our team and would have enjoyed all the madness and fun of our opening day.”

‘You’re taken high up into the air and then the speed kicks in. You’ll spin around, go upside down and feel weak at the knees’