Galway's most 'undersold' tourist attraction has 'serious tourism potential’
A local TD has called for greater promotion of the castle which has surged in visitors
More than 13,400 people visited Athenry Castle during the first six months of its operating season this year, according to new figures from the Office of Public Works (OPW).
The seasonal heritage attraction, which typically opens to visitors from March to November, recorded a total of 13,401 admissions between March and August.
Visitor numbers increased steadily throughout the spring and summer, rising from 709 in March to 1,332 in April and 1,962 in May. The figures continued an upward trajectory into the summer months, with 2,574 visitors recorded in June and 2,591 in July.
August was the busiest month of the period by a significant margin, attracting 4,233 visitors. This accounted for almost 32% of all admissions recorded across the six months.
The breakdown was provided by the Minister of State Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran in response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin TD for Galway East Louis O’Hara.
Mr O’Hara has previously called for greater promotion of the attraction and Athenry, which he says is being “undersold” as a heritage town with significant tourism potential.
“We can do a lot better in Athenry in terms of the number of people visiting,” he said, noting that some of the town’s best assets – including the castle – are closed to the public during winter.