Vision for Lisdoonvarna in €4.3m plan

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

LISDOONVARNA’S future development and the conservation of its rich heritage is to be ensured under a new heritage plan and design guide.

Numerous upgrades, public realm improvements and developments have been set out in the Lisdoonvarna Heritage Plan and Design Guide which requires a total spend in excess of €4.3m. Work on the plan has been ongoing since August 2022, with a lot of recommendations based on the current look of Clonakility’s public realm in Co Cork.

A Heritage Trail is proposed to connect the many heritage sites in the town, including the Spa Wells, bridges, significant buildings and views, which, alongside an audio guide, can highlight local stories, folklore and history along the trail.

Other proposed upgrades include public realm improvements for the Main Square, Lower Main Street and Tivoli Terrace, along with conceptual drawings for the town’s arrival points, the Twin Wells, Rathlaun Wells, and the viewpoints at the Spectacle Bridge, Gowlaun Spa and Maryville House.

At the main square, it is proposed to simplify the design, remove clutter and enhance the appearance of the square. It will make it easier for the public to use the square for different events, for example farmer’s market, food festival, dancing or musical events and as a public gathering space. A water feature is to be included, where the sound and sight of running water would be central to the experience of being in the square.

Lisdoonvarna is renowned for its mineral

Notes

Old Kilfarboy Society

springs making it Irelands’ best-known and only surviving Spa Town. The Spa Wells is a fascinating story of geology, water and people and operates under its original themes of heritage, tourism and wellness. The Spa Wells contain an important array of significant historical buildings and biodiversity including the Victorian Neo-Gothic style Maiville house with 50 acres of forest walks, Victorian Gardens and Pump Room, a 1940’s neo-clas- sical Bath House and Twin Wells, and a 1970’s Dance Hall, the Pavilion building and 30 acres of parkland as public open space.

The Heritage Plan and Design Guide also makes proposals for the Spa Wells complex. The town streetscape, its architectural conservation area and the Spa Wells complex are very valuable resources to the local community and visitors to the town and, in the context of tourism, Lisdoonvarna adds to the already significant offering of the Burren and County Clare.

Suggested future uses of Gowlaun Spa include an educational campus, a boutique hotel or wedding venue, a destination spa and community facilities.

Unlike most Irish towns, Lisdoonvarna is relatively modern, having almost popped into existence in the late nineteenth century. This investment in the town relates to the huge increase in tourism and the railways but also a popular interest in health and wellbeing. Lisdoonvarna continued to boom right into the twentieth century, making itself famous for the matchmaking festival, dancing and music just as much as it was for its ‘waters’.

Estimated costs of works proposed stand at an approximate total of €4.3m, €1.2m of which is associated with the heritage trail and €800,000 for the main square upgrade. The remainder is divided between South Main St (€600,000), Tivoli Terrace (€500,000), North Main St (€500,000), Rathlaun Wells (€210,000), Gowlaun Wells (€170,000), Twin Wells (€170,000), Town Gateways (€150,000), View to Spectacle Bridge (€15,000), View to Maiville House (€15,000). No fee has yet been calculated for the Stories of Lisdoonvarna aspect which will see local oral history and personal stories recorded.

Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) has been one of the key figures involved in the plan’s development. “The Lisdoonvarna Heritage Plan and Design Guide is a major step forward in the future renewal of the town and a guide for future direction, which has been articulated to the local community and agreed upon as part of the planning process”.

The next talk of the Old Kilfarboy Society is scheduled for Tuesday, 14th February 2023 in the Malbay, Miltown Malbay at 8pm. It's title is DÚCHAS IS DÓCHAS:

Amhráin Ghaeilge an Chláir - The Irish Language Songs of County Clare and will be delivered by Diarmuid de Faoite. Diarmuid will bring us on an oral, aural and visual journey through the store of music, shining a light on the songs, the airs, the composers, the places from which they came and their legacy as well as introducing us to present day compositions with an emphasis on West Clare.

X-PO EVENTS

Post Office Sessions X-PO: 8pm February 3rd 2023

X-PO’s next monthly Post Office Session - Lár an Aonaigh - takes place on Friday 3rd February at 8pm. The assembled will include mighty fine musicians, singers, poets and listeners from North Clare and beyond. The wonderful sounds take place in a unique setting – an intimate and disused Post Office. As the event coincides with the ancient calendar custom of Imbolg, some of the tunes will touch on renewal and the turning of the year. The event is free of charge. Donations to X-PO welcome.

In the footsteps of the Burren's prehistoric hunter-gatherers with Conn Herriott: Thursday 9 February 8pm. X-PO is delighted to welcome archaeologist Conn Herriott for our February Heritage Talk. Conn will bring us back in time over 10,000 years to explore what life was like for the Burren’s very first inhabitants. These hunter-gatherer communities relied on a rich environment for the necessities of life, moving through the landscape on a seasonal basis. Conn will paint a picture of the Burren’s past ecology, and drawing on studies of hunter-gatherer societies, he will look at what can we tell about the Burren’s earliest inhabitants. X-PO is a not-for-profit space where all our events are free, ensuring that X-PO is open and accessible to all. All welcome!

GORT ARTS COLLECTIVE CELEBRATE ST BRIGID’S DAY

A new Gort Arts Collective is hosting a series of events to celebrate the new St. Brigid's bank holiday between February 4th and 5th. Events include a procession, an outdoor largescale projection onto the town's courthouse, an art exhibition, and theatre performances. The aim of the group is to bring the community together to celebrate old traditions and create new ones through the medium of the arts. The Gort Arts Collective is a group of 40 artists who work in a variety of art forms: painting, sculpture, the written word, and filmmaking.

Noreen Scully from the group detailed that "Ours is an old Irish market town that enjoys a rich and diverse cultural community - and it's important for everyone in the town to feel that they belong”. See Gort Arts FB/Instagram for more details. Any queries can be directed to gortarts@gmail.com. All are welcome!