Revamp for King John's castle

Amazotheamazing

Castle to undergo €5.7m revamp

King John's Castle: to get improved visitor facilities

KATHRYN HAYES

MIDWEST TOURISM company Shannon Development has secured almost €6 million for the redevelopment of a 13th-century landmark castle in Limerick city.

Built in 1212, King John’s Castle stands on the banks of the river Shannon and is located in Limerick city’s medieval quarter.

The €5.7 million redevelopment project is scheduled to be completed by 2012 to coincide with the 800th birthday celebration of the castle.

Shannon Development chief executive Dr Vincent Cunnane said the essence of the project was to make the castle the core attraction, boosted by interpretative facilities and re-enactment.

“We will be introducing a wide range of new technologies and specialist multimedia techniques which will be used to bring the castle’s development and historical events to life within the context of improved exhibition, interpretation and visitor facilities,” he said.

“Our next step will be to secure a design consultant through a public tendering process.

“We intend to look for imaginative submissions from design consultants in the coming weeks,” he added.

A grant of €4.7 million was approved by Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport under the National Development Plan for the project. The balance, an estimated €1 million, will be met by Shannon Development.

Dr Cunnane said it was an indication of Shannon Development’s commitment to the future of Limerick. “This project puts a key priority on Limerick city as the centre of a strong Shannon region.

“Tourism is one of the drivers identified by Shannon Development to help us achieve this objective and this is why the redevelopment of King John’s Castle is vitally important,” he said.

It is hoped the redevelopment of the castle and the adjacent Castle Lane complex will have the potential to significantly increase visitor numbers to Limerick city.

Amazotheamazing

I realise there's already a thread on the refurbishment of Nicholas street but i think this merits it's own topic. The Castle is key in any tourism policy Limerick has. Will be interesting to see what they do with the Interpretative centre.

Itsdacraic

They are probably just going to put in a Spar, Fine Wines and a Paddy Powers.

Dumdum McCarthy

Itsdacraic wrote: »

They are probably just going to put in a Spar, Fine Wines and a Paddy Powers.

You forgot about a few appartments with the terracotta coloured type tiles on the facade.

leakyboots

What do ye make of the following notion (kind of separate to what the thread was started for)

I remember being in King John's Castle for a Frames gig a number of years ago... I think The Walls and Mundy played too.

I'm a frequent gig-goer and it's one of the ones that sticks out fondly not just because of the music but also the location - it was a fantastic venue.

What about expanding on the Riverfest by having some major names, international and Irish, on in Thomond Park and have King John's Castle host some names too, a kind of second stage... or make it a separate weekend music festival in the summer.

It would be good for local business, hotels, restaurants, pubs, offies etc.. You've seen how festivals like Castlepalooza, Indiependence can take off, why not try and host something in Limerick - we've got a 26'000 seater stadium that could bring pretty much any band in the world there.

Get hotels to offer a cheap rate for festival goers with tickets.

Just a notion, anything to get more gigs to Limerick really.

As for the development, it's probably Limerick's main tourist attraction, it should be the jewel in the crown - if the money is well spent I won't have any complaints.

tipptom

Does this mean they are going to dimanantle the hay shed they built in the middle of a medieval castle.

kilburn

tipptom wrote: »

Does this mean they are going to dimanantle the hay shed they built in the middle of a medieval castle.

No they probably wont dismantle the "hay shed" as you call it. But I am sure they are going to add to and improve the interpretive centre.

Anything that enhances the city towards tourists is good and fine with me.

tipptom

Well,i worked in that area and around the treaty stone for about a year and any time we were talking to tourists they almost took a laughing unbelievable attitude to a cladding structure proudly displayed.

sioda

tipptom wrote: »

Well,i worked in that area and around the treaty stone for about a year and any time we were talking to tourists they almost took a laughing unbelievable attitude to a cladding structure proudly displayed.

well ignorance will often cause laughter it was obvious they hadnt been inside to see the reasoning behind the structure

phog

tipptom wrote: »

Does this mean they are going to dimanantle the hay shed they built in the middle of a medieval castle.

What would you replace it with?

tipptom

With at least a structure that blends in with its historic surroundings,if you cant see that then our ignorance deserves to be laughed at by people who pay to come to see our history.

Amazotheamazing

tipptom wrote: »

With at least a structure that blends in with its historic surroundings,if you cant see that then our ignorance deserves to be laughed at by people who pay to come to see our history.

how would you build this structure without destroying the Viking houses under the current centre?

Mc Love

If there was some way it could be elevated above such viking houses and maybe a medieval facade would suit it better

Amazotheamazing

Mc Love wrote: »

If there was some way it could be elevated above such viking houses and maybe a medieval facade would suit it better

A faux medieval facade could look worse than what's already there imo. I think we need a way to make it more shiny, people love shiny things, maybe some glass too, glass is hella cool.

johnmolloy554

This http://3rdeyedrops.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/the-louvre-pyramid/ works quite well.

kilburn

tipptom wrote: »

With at least a structure that blends in with its historic surroundings,if you cant see that then our ignorance deserves to be laughed at by people who pay to come to see our history.

Have you actually visited the castle yourself?
Do you know what is under the interpretive centre?
If you have visited it why didnt you explain to the tourists?

Mc Love

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

A faux medieval facade could look worse than what's already there imo. I think we need a way to make it more shiny, people love shiny things, maybe some glass too, glass is hella cool.

But with real stone if that could be arranged it would be pretty cool. I am sure at some stage the Castle must have had walls there?

kilburn

Mc Love wrote: »

But with real stone if that could be arranged it would be pretty cool. I am sure at some stage the Castle must have had walls there?

It did didnt they hold out Ireton and his buddies, maybe some kind of a stone wall built around it?

Amazotheamazing

Mc Love wrote: »

But with real stone if that could be arranged it would be pretty cool. I am sure at some stage the Castle must have had walls there?

Think that's where they had the waterfall and shrubbery.

tipptom

Anything but cladding,there is an imprint stonework that adheres to any surface that could recreate the exact colour and hew of whats there and can be aged.

Amazotheamazing

Plans for €5.7m castle revamp lodged
By Jimmy Woulfe, Mid-West Correspondent
Thursday, March 24, 2011
PLANS for a major redevelopment of the 13th century King John’s Castle have been lodged with Limerick City Council.

The castle was remodelled as a tourism attraction almost 30 years ago.

Old houses within its walls were demolished and the entire courtyard area re-paved.

However, the castle failed to fulfil its potential as a tourism attraction and the replacement of one of the main walls with a huge metal and glass structure provoked a storm of protest.

The modern design concept resulted in many tour operators by-passing the castle.

However, regional tourism organisation Shannon Development is confident the new plan will help it become a major tourism landmark capable of attracting up to 100,000 visitors a year.

The €5.7 million revamp, which will get under way in the coming months, aims to provide a totally new visitor experience, incorporating a history of Limerick, exhibition areas and an interactive gallery and education room.

A major feature will allow visitors to ‘virtually’ sit on the banks of the River Shannon and survey its rich history as Ireland’s longest waterway.

To be named The Currents of History, the interactive river section will focus on the treatment of the Shannon and the effect climate change may have on its future.

Another exhibition area will focus on the Walls of Limerick and the streets of the city during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Another area will recall the growth of medieval Limerick.

The Castle Lane complex, which incorporates bars and restaurants and which had been closed for years, will be connected to the main courtyard in the castle.

And the main entrance, housed in the glass metal structure, is also to undergo a total revamp.

New upper levels will be divided into three periods spanning the 17th to the 20th centuries and will also include a medieval gallery.

Character personnel will be employed and dressed in period costume who will represent jesters and notable personages in Limerick history.

Boat trips from the castle to the nearby Curraghower falls are going to be considered.

It is intended the huge redevelopment will be completed by next year, the 800th anniversary of the castle.

Of the €5.7 million cost, €4.7m is being provided by Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Tourism with Shannon Development investing €1m.

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, March 24, 2011


Read more: http://irishexaminer.ie/ireland/plans-for-57m-castle-revamp-lodged-149150.html#ixzz1HTTOfYNb

Mc Love

they will need to do something about the surrounding area also

phog

I think the PP sign is on display on the side of the castle facing the Toll house.

talkingclock

However, regional tourism organisation Shannon Development is confident the new plan will help it become a major tourism landmark capable of attracting up to 100,000 visitors a year.

bet this will be the new 'it's worth 10 millions for the city' mantra

Boat trips from the castle to the nearby Curraghower falls are going to be considered.

Erm... are they not kind of "across the road" from the castle. A boat trip across the shannon? Wow!

The Castle Lane complex, which incorporates bars and restaurants and which had been closed for years, will be connected to the main courtyard in the castle.

How? By knockind down the wall or a steel and glass skywalk?

kilburn

I for one am delighted to read this the Castle should have much more recognition in the tourism sector and this can only be a good thing many suggestions that are in that a few of us here have said before. Stop being negative !

phill106

Good news, I hope they put a real stone wall in front of the glass one. None of that fake stone facia please!

Kernunos

phill106 wrote: »

Good news, I hope they put a real stone wall in front of the glass one. None of that fake stone facia please!

I think I read somewhere that the original plan was to build a replica wall there but then they discovered the Viking settlement underneath. The Metal/glass wall was erected as they cannot build anything that would require a foundation. So regardless of how much money they throw at it, the basic existing structure will stay there.

That said though i think it has a whole lot of potential. Its a huge medival fortified castle in the middle of the city for god sake! Surely it would require more effort to make it 'not' a tourist attraction

phill106

Kernunos wrote: »

I think I read somewhere that the original plan was to build a replica wall there but then they discovered the Viking settlement underneath. The Metal/glass wall was erected as they cannot build anything that would require a foundation. So regardless of how much money they throw at it, the basic existing structure will stay there.

That said though i think it has a whole lot of potential. Its a huge medival fortified castle in the middle of the city for god sake! Surely it would require more effort to make it 'not' a tourist attraction

Maybe they can hang the wall off the existing structure, leave an inch off at the bottom Hang it from a mini crane!

As an attraction, they should set it up so that a cannon can be on the tower and can shoot a firework into the sky. Would cost 5 euro or something a go.

Amazotheamazing

talkingclock wrote: »

How? By knockind down the wall or a steel and glass skywalk?

Maybe a door? Why not look at the plans yourself and make such highly focussed criticisms while you can still positively affect the the outcome?

sioda

Amazo you cant put a door into a 800 year old protected structure. :P

the link should be some sort of skybridge from the castle lane wall to the first floor of the tavern.
It would also be possible to run one from the interpretive centre roof to the 2nd floor of the dutch gabled wing of the taver building.

I am blue in the face from saying this but there will be NO wall put up in front of the building as a wall needs foundations and there are none under that section. Any sort of hung on fake wall would look just awful.

I think the big up point of this is the linking of the castle lane buildings into the castlew site at least now they will be used.

All in all the figure of 100000 visitors is easily attainable for a site that has in the past had around 60000 visitors a year.

Boat trips to the curraghgower unless they mean the bar i dont think it will happen but it would be nice to be able to let visitors go out of the castle onto some sort of dock which would have been there 800 odd years ago

phog

Build a boardwalk from Thomond Bridge, along the castle to City Hall and lighting up all of the castle at night time would be a major step in making the place more attractive.

I think something needs to be done with the door and steps facing the Toll House as well.