Mayor Michael Collins officially opened Rathkeale’s new Welcome Centre with a Fáilte Ireland Tourist Point. Located at the Rathkeale Community Centre, the Welcome Centre’s friendly staff will help Limerick visitors find local attractions, services, and businesses. They will also greet tourists referred by the many Fáilte Ireland and Limerick’s Atlantic Edge European Embrace initiatives.
The opening ceremony took place on Friday 18th September and had a guest list of 27 dignitaries, including Cllr. Bridie Collins, Mayor Michael Collins, TD Niall Collins, Cllr. Stephen Keary, Cllr. John O'Donoghue, TD Richard O'Donoghue, TD Patrick O'Donovan, Administrative Officer for Tourism Aoife Potter-Cogan, and Cllr. Adam Teskey. Speakers included the Mayor, Donie O’Connor, Manager of the Welcome Centre, as well as Pat Neville, Chairperson of the Rathkeale Community Council. The event was recorded for social media by videographer William Buckley. It was generously catered by Rathkeale’s Bloomer’s Café and Restaurant and the Deel Bakery.
“Sincere well done. It is so enlightening to have such a good news story at this time for Tourism,” said event attendee John Fitzgerald of the Tourism Task Force. “We have to take this time as a once in a generation opportunity to do something different and creative and listening to you guys tonight gives me reasons to cheer. I genuinely believe in community/local driven tourism projects as the secret to success.”
“Rathkeale is the start of the Greenway and will soon be at the corner of the Foynes to Limerick motorway, making the town more convenient to Limerick’s 94,000 people,” said Pat Neville, Chairperson of the Rathkeale Community Council. “We want all visitors to feel welcome and have a place where they can learn about what this friendly town has to offer.”
“The Welcome Centre and its Failte Ireland connection is another good news story for forward looking Rathkeale,” said Derek Downes, owner of the town’s Eurospar and founding member of a new Rathkeale business group. “It’s the kind of event welcomed by the 45 plus business owners that are working to let people know that they can trust Rathkeale as the safest place to shop.”
