New heritage trail set to showcase ‘unique, hidden history’ of Tipperary town
New self-guided walking trail will feature QR-coded stops at 12 historic locations across Thurles, with launch expected this summer
Plans to launch a new heritage trail showcasing Tipperary’s “unique, hidden history” are set to give a boost to local tourism when it goes live later this summer.
Details of the project were outlined at the April meeting of the Thurles Municipal District by John McCormack, William McDonagh and Jimmy Duggan, who attended on behalf of Thurles Lions Club.
The planned initiative, to be known as the Thurles Heritage Trail, was presented as a way of highlighting key historical sites and stories around the town.
The trail is designed as a walking tour around Thurles, where visitors will be able to scan QR codes located on twelve signs across the town. These will link to a dedicated website featuring audio and video content providing descriptions of each location.
The 12 stops along the route will include The Stone Man, The Bridge Castle, Archer Tomb, Blood at the Crossroads/Stanwix Home, Loughtagalla, The Cathedral Quarter, Hayes’ Hotel, The Courthouse, The Black Castle, the Croke Statue, Semple Stadium and the Railway Station.
It is designed as a “self-guided tour” aimed at “appeal to the people of Thurles” and to be a “pride for the people of the town”, exploring the stories “behind the architecture of the town”.
The group said the trail is intended for both visitors and residents of Thurles who “want to learn more and go deeper into history”, and will be suitable for “all types of visits.”
Independent councillor Jim Ryan said that the heritage trail is "badly needed" to "put Thurles on the map" adding that he thinks it will be a welcomed boost to the county's tourism. The trail was also applauded by Cllr Sean Ryan who noted "people love history" and pointed to the popularity of walkway searches on Google.
Fianna Fail councillor Kay Cahill Skehan said that it is "fantastic" but they must "link it to everything we already have" to "promote our tourism" and queried the estimated launch date. In response, councillors were told that they "envision launching in late June or July" of this year.
Thomas Duffy, District Engineer, said that its a positive thing for the district to see the council and community work together "to get something across the line."