Welcome For Funding For The Butler Trail – Cllr. Martin Lonergan

Local Independent County Councillor, Martin Lonergan has welcomed Fáilte Ireland making €110k in funding available to develop the Butler Trail in County Tipperary through its ‘New Ideas in Ancient Spaces’ Capital Grants Scheme for attractions within the Ireland’s Ancient East initiative.

Commenting on the news, Cllr Lonergan said, “Launched last April, Ireland’s Ancient East is Fáilte Ireland’s latest tourism initiative and seeks to build on the wealth of historical and cultural assets in the east and south of Ireland. The new initiative seeks to give visitors a personal experience of 5,000 years of Irish history through a journey of discovery in a lush green landscape with stories told by the best storytellers in the world. Ireland’s Ancient East stretches from Carlingford to Cork and is intended to match and complement the Wild Atlantic Way in terms of scale and ambition.
Launched last April, Ireland’s Ancient East is Fáilte Ireland’s latest tourism initiative and seeks to build on the wealth of historical and cultural assets in the east and south of Ireland. The new initiative seeks to give visitors a personal experience of 5,000 years of Irish history through a journey of discovery stretching from Carlingford to Cork and is intended to match and complement the Wild Atlantic Way in terms of scale and ambition.

This funding of €110k is intended to provide signage for the Butler Driving Trail which runs from Carrick on Suir, through Clonmel to Cahir (and vice versa) along the N24. Signage for this trail is currently limited to three town centres on the route. This project seeks to install directional signage along the route in all gateway towns and in parking facilities along the trail. It also includes the development of an App with audio guides (in English, French and German) which will enable self-navigation of the route and improve the visitor experience. Through this project the Butler trail will link with the River Suir Blueway project which will make the overall experience more memorable.

Concluding Cllr Lonergan said, “The funding is part of Fáilte Ireland’s ‘New Ideas in Ancient Spaces’ Capital Grants Scheme to encourage the development of compelling visitor experiences throughout the Ireland’s Ancient East region. The grant to the Butler Trail followed a call for submissions from interested parties across the region to apply under the scheme.”