Shannon Group has announced the reopening of Bunratty Folk Park in Co. Clare from Friday 30th April. The announcement follows the lifting of Government restrictions for outdoor heritage sites. The Folk Park will open four days a week initially for residents of Co. Clare and Limerick people living within 20 kilometres of the popular attraction.
Set on 26 acres of Clare countryside, there is plenty of space for social distancing. The 19th century themed Folk Park features a living village and rural setting as it would have appeared during the time of our ancestors.
Musical entertainment has been put in place and the Folk Park’s animators dressed in 19th century costumes are looking forward to sharing their stories with visitors. Among these will be the village policeman, schoolteacher and doctor.
No visit to Bunratty would be complete without a visit to see the Folk Park’s array of animals, all of whom are waiting to welcome back families to the Folk Park! Among these are Meabh and Saoirse, the Folk Park’s resident wolfhounds, who always prove very popular with visitors. Despite the fact that Bunratty Castle will remain closed, Castle guides will be on hand to give the history of the Castle from its courtyard. To add to the enjoyment, Mr O’Regan’s Café will be open for takeaway food and drinks.
All visitors are required to pre book in advance of their visit. To ensure proper social distancing, a one-way system has been designed to guide visitors around the Folk Park.
Shannon Heritage has been awarded accreditation from Fáilte Ireland for its COVID-19 safety measures. There are a series of measures in place to ensure the health and safety of visitors and staff thereby facilitating a safe and enjoyable visit to its attractions. You can read the safety charter here https://www.bunrattycastle.ie/folk-park/health-and-safety-charter/
Commenting on Bunratty Folk Park’s reopening, Vanessa McTigue of Shannon Heritage said: “This year has been incredibly difficult for everyone and we know that people are looking forward to exploring their county. We are delighted to reopen Bunratty Folk Park and look forward to extending a warm welcome to all our visitors. With the Covid safety measures we have in place at Bunratty visitors can be assured of a safe, fun and memorable experience. We are hopeful that following the next easing of restrictions we will be able to reopen our indoor attractions.”
Reopening on April 29th, the gardens and fairy trail at Malahide Castle and Gardens offers visitors the opportunity to explore a 1.8km interactive fairy trail, the wooden sculptures of the West Lawn, walled Botanical gardens and much more.
Meanwhile at Newbridge House and Farm, located in North County Dublin, the farm experience at will also reopen on April 29th. Here the team have been busy on the farm with all the newborn animals and installation of a few new surprises around the farm trail. Pre-booking is required for Bunratty Folk Park, to book visit www.bunrattycastle.ie; Malahide Castle and Gardens www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie and Newbridge House and Farm www.newbridgehouseandfarm.com
For further information visit www.shannonheritage.com