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A motion calling for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to support the inclusion of Counties Armagh and Down in tourism brand 'Ireland's Ancient East passed unanimously at last nights 7 November full council meeting. Councillors spoke passionately about what our area has to offer and all were in favour of striving to promote those offerings via the brand. The tourism brand stretches from north east of Cork city all the way north to County Monaghan, which is of course much further west than either Down or Armagh. None of the current tourism brands include cross border.
Two ammendments to the motion were accepted, one by Cllr Barra Ó Muiri who asked that council writes to the Irish Government to ask them to implement, to make sure that Armagh and Down are included in the brand. The second by Cllr Glyn Hanna said that council should also write to ABC Council as they included Counties Armagh and Down as well.
Proudly and Prominently
Motion proposer Cllr Pete Byrne spoke of the incredible tourism assets South Armagh had and although he pointed out that the area must be included "proudly and prominently in the council's Tourism Strategy" he added that the motion wasn't about South Armagh or the tourism strategy explaining "It's about harnessing the potential of this entire region"
Cllr Byrne said "This motion recognises the synchronicity between the tourism offering of Armagh and Down and all four pillars of Ireland's Ancient East."
"Each of these four pillars of Ireland's Ancient East can be found either within our district or within a stones-throw of it. From Viking History, Norman Castles in Carlingford, St Patrick's resting place here in Downpatrick where we sit tonight, Emain Macha the seat of ancient royal kings in Armagh, historical sites in my own area in South Armagh where there is an array of neolithic court tombs, passage tombs, dolmens that give us a snapshot of our district over 8000 years."
He continued "The tourism offering within Armagh and Down is as rich as it is diverse and it presents a unique opportunity for the history and heritage of Ulster to secure a more prominent placement within Ireland's Ancient East. The Orange Order was founded in Loughgall. In Armagh City the seat of the Anglican Church of Ireland holds the remains of Brian Boro, the high king of Ireland which represents a complete confluence of cultures. The Quaker village of Bessbrook manufactured linen and produced granite that was exported across the world. The Act of Union was drafted in nearby Derramore House"
The Slieve Gullion Councillor concluded "We have an opportunity through this motion to harness the power of our shared herritage and to demonstrate that a rising tide really can lift all boats."
Expand our Tourism offering
Councillor Laura Devlin seconded the motion and said "we must continue to lobby, push and do all in our power to expand our tourism offering if we want this industry to be truly sustainable."
She continued "We want the world to recognise and appreciate the beauty of Newry, Mourne and Down"
"Lets remember that by supporting our tourist offering we are supporting local families, local businesses and local producers who know this land, who have worked this land and who love this land with every fibre of their being. Investing in our tourist offering is investing in these local people."
More ancient history in County Down and County Armagh than in all of Ireland put together
Cllr Cadogan Enright had proposed a similar motion in 2016 but it didn't get support. He spoke of his delight at it being presented again explaining ""Ireland's Ancient East has turned out to be the best funded and most successful Irish Tourism Enterprise since Ireland went in to the tourism trade and they do it a hell of a lot better than we do and we need to learn from them."
Cllr Enright proceeded to give a fastinating account of the ancient history of the area. "Looking at geography, County Down is the most eastern county in Ireland and not to be included in Ireland's Ancient East makes no sense."
He spoke of how Downpatrick was recorded by the Greek explorer Pytheas of Massalia in 330BC and how it also appeared in Roman maps in 1115AD. "After the fall of Navan Fort, Downpatrick became the capital of Ireland and the seat of the Irish kings until the mid 1660's, until the Battle of Dromore when the O'Neill's took over. St Patrick landed on the Slaney just down the road and started his mission to Ireland here in the Downpatrick area, and went on around Ireland, finally ending up being burried in the Cathedral up the road here.
Cllr Enright continued "In the year 400 the kings of Ulaid who at that stage ruled the west of Scotland, the Isle of Man and were the high kings of Ireland. In 400 they made an alliance with the Picts and were part of the great barbarian crusade that drove the Romans out of Britian. The ancient east would be nothing without County Down and indeed Armagh as well. We had the 300 year war against the Vikings in which the Ulaid had nine naval victories against the Vikings, ending up with the Battle of Gunns Island off the Ardglass coast and went on to destroy the Viking city of Dublin the following year.
He concluded "There is more ancient history in County Down and County Armagh than there is in all of Ireland put together."
Visit Mourne in South Armagh
Cllr Barra Ó Muiri on a slight asside spoke of the frustration of South Armagh being labelled as the Mournes "For us that have to live in South Armagh and deal with tour guides, teachers, community groups and deal with hotel owners and publicans who scratch their heads when they see a 'Visit Mourne' sign in South Armagh."
He added "It looks like somebody in the council doesn't know the difference between where the Mourne Mountains are or where Slieve Gullion is, or where South Armagh is. I said this should go out to a DEA fora very quickly for a good hot debate on it to talk about what areas feel that they're being covered by tourism branding in our council and what areas don't. I'm not trying to say that South Armagh is any better than any other DEA within our council but we certainly, having missed out on the name of the council back in 2015, we are keen not to miss out again on the tourism brand."
Economic Driver
Cllr Glyn Hanna spoke of a trip he took several years back when Ireland's Ancient East was being discussed "I thought at the time that to extend it north of the border wouldn't do a bit of harm.
"It's an economic driver, I see no issue whatsoever." he said.
Much potential
Cllr David Taylor "I'm not sure how difficult it will be, obviously representations will need to be made by the council to ensure that we can obviously ensure that whats proposed here tonight does come to fruition. Certainly happy to support. We have much potential as a district from a tourism point of view."
Cross border co-operation
Cllr Willie Clarke "The Good Friday Agreement established tourism as one of the six areas of cross border co-operation. Tourism Ireland promote tourism on the island as a single entity and the inclusion of Down and South Armagh in that branding would be immense for us."
Lack of Cross border co-operation
Cllr Jarlath Tinnelly spoke of meetings of the Working Group of Louth County Council and Newry, Mourne and Down Council where the areas inclusion in Ireland's Ancient East didn't seem to gain much support. "we were told that this was the preserve of the government in Dublin and it wasn't really our place to be dictating to them how they spent the taxpayers money of the people on the other side of the border, which I was very disappointed in."
The Notice of Motion - Inclusion of Counties Armagh and Down in the Ireland's Ancient East destination marketing brand
Notice of Motion received from Councillor Byrne:
"This Council recognises the four key pillars of Ireland's Ancient East: Ancient Ireland, Early Christian Ireland, Medieval Ireland, and Anglo Ireland; align with and strengthen our districts tourism offering.
This Council supports the inclusion of Counties Armagh and Down in the Ireland's Ancient East destination marketing brand".
