Council Chair Attends New Visitor Centre Opening in Swatragh
Mid Ulster District Council Chair, Councillor Eugene McConnell has attended the official opening of a brand-new visitor experience in Swatragh. The new visitor experience called 'Gorta, Swatragh’s Famine Story' is based at the Friel’s historic bar and restaurant site and has been developed by owner and local businessman, Dermot Friel.
Friel’s is the lead company of the Loughinsholin Mid Ulster Tourism Cluster, which is supported by Invest Northern Ireland through its Collaborative Growth Programme. The cluster works collaboratively with the Tourism NI Embrace A Giant Spirit and Mid Ulster District Council Unwinding Time brands to bring authenticity, heritage, and generations of family history together to create unique visitor experiences in Mid Ulster.
Following the discovery of a small window on the Friel’s historic bar and restaurant site during lockdown, along with an earlier discovery of an original famine pot in a shed on the site, Dermot Friel was inspired to consult with experts and local historians. This led to uncovering the story of Dr Mooney, who lived and worked from his surgery on the Friel’s site in the 1840s.
The visitor centre features interpretative panels, audio visual aids, unique artwork depicting famine scenes by acclaimed sculptor Kieran Tuohy and the installation of the famine pot in what is believed to be the original position in the soup kitchen which once operated from the site. Expert local tour guide Cathy O’Neill will guide and talk to visitors at the centre.
'Gorta, Swatragh’s Famine Story' is part of ongoing work to develop the historic Friel’s site as a key destination for the local community and for visitors to the area. It represents a £350k investment creating 4 new jobs and has been developed with support from Tourism Northern Ireland’s Experience Development Programme, Invest Northern Ireland’s Innovation Voucher programme and Dermot Friel.
Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, Councillor Eugene McConnell congratulated the Friel family and historian Ciaran Reilly on their hard work bringing the centre to life and said,
“Mid Ulster recognises the importance of our tourism industry to our local economy and we are extremely fortunate to have many unique and vibrant attractions, which bring visitors from far and wide. I have no doubt this new visitor centre will enhance our offering here in Mid Ulster, attracting those who are retracing their ancestors’ steps and those who want to experience our history firsthand.”
Dermont Friel, owner of the Friel’s, said:
“The opening of Gorta, Swatragh’s Famine Story is a very special moment for everyone involved. It is inspired by the story of local charitable people of the time and the risks they took to help people in the community. It has taken a big team effort, with support from Tourism NI and Invest NI, as well as years of hard work and focus to develop and gather the research to help us present and tell the story in the best way possible. It is a very important story – not only is it a deeply personal one to the Swatragh community, but it is one that connects us to many across the world especially in America and Canada. We hope visitors and the community connect with the story and feel that we have done it justice.”
John McGrillen, CEO of Tourism NI, commented:
“I am delighted Tourism NI has been able to support this latest addition to the tourism offering in Mid Ulster through our Experience Development Programme. This authentic attraction, telling the story of a local humanitarian in the most traumatic period in our history, is exactly what our visitors want to experience. I would like to pay tribute to Dermot's resilience in getting to this, making his vision a reality, and we look forward to working with him to promote this experience in the future.”
To find out visitor information for the new experience, go to www.friels.ie