COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

MOTION NO.12

MOTION: Councillor B. Bonner

"Molann an Coiste seo go dtugtar áit lárnach, feiceaileach di thenaga agus cultúir na Gaeilge i gcultúrlann nua an chloigtí i gCluain Dolcáin.  Go dtuga Brú Chrónáin air agus go mbéadh sé mar chroílár cheantair nua na Gaeilge sa shráidbhaile". 

"The committee recommends that the Irish language and Irish culture would have a central and visible place in the new Round Tower Visitor Centre.  That the centre would be named Brú Chrónáin and that it would be the heart of a new Irish language cultural quarter in the village of Clondalkin".

TUAIRISC:

Sa spás léirithe atá ina chuid d'ionad Chloigtheach Chluain Dolcáin, léireofar oidhreacht agus bunús Chluain Dolcáin ó tháinig sé ar an bhfód 1,200 bliain ó shin. Áireofar leis seo deiseanna chun cultúr na hÉireann a chur faoi bhráid an phobail sa cheantar, go háirithe Áras Chrónáin - an tIonad Cultúir áitiúil - i Seomra 8, mar aon leis an spás miondíola, ar féidir úsáid a bhaint as chun imeachtaí agus scéalta an tsráidbhaile áitiúil a chur chun cinn. Tuigeann an Chomhairle go bhfreastalaíonn Áras Chrónáin cheana féin ar chuairteoirí i gcomhar leis na hóstáin atá suite feadh an N7, agus is mian léi cinntiú go gcuirfidh Cloigtheach Chluain Dolcáin féin agus na húsáidí atá á soláthar ann leis na gníomhaíochtaí turasóireachta thuas, agus nach ruaigfear daoine ó áiteanna áitiúla eile ar díol spéise do thurasóirí iad.

Cé go bhfuil an Chomhairle ag tacú le sainchultúr Gaelach an tsráidbhaile agus an cheantair áitiúil, mar shampla, trí Áras Chrónáin a chuimsiú i bhFéile Leabhar "Red Line" na bliana seo, ní mór don Chomhairle gan ligean chun dearmaid gur infheistíocht turasóireachta é Cloigtheach Chluain Dolcáin a bhfuil acmhainneacht eacnamaíoch agus leasa suntasacha eile don cheantar ag baint léi, agus ar an ábhar sin, is bunriachtanas é go dtuigfidh turasóirí ó thíortha eile an t-eolas agus an teanga atá in úsáid sa Chloigtheach.

Maidir le hainm a cheapadh don Ionad nua, tá an Chomhairle tar éis dul i muinín comhairle margaíochta faoi seo, agus ós rud é gurb é an Cloigtheach an t-aon áit in Éirinn atá dírithe go hiomlán ar scéal na gné oidhreachta sainghaelaí seo a insint - is é sin, scéal Chloigthithe Éireann - moltar dúinn an deis a thapú, na Cloigthithe a ghlacadh chugainn féin. Mar sin, is é teideal oibre an Ionaid ná "An Cloigtheach - Cluain Dolcáin".

Tá an Chomhairle ag baint triail as an gcoincheap seo trína chur faoi bhráid na n-oibreoirí tráchtála ionchasacha atá tar éis cuairt a thabhairt ar an ionad mar chuid den phróiseas, oibreoirí a roghnú chun na seirbhísí caifé agus miondíola a chur ar fáil. Tá dearcadh dearfach léirithe ag na hoibreoirí seo i leith an teidil oibre, agus ceaptar gur teideal é a spreagfaidh suim sa suíomh tríd na meáin shóisialta agus trí mhargaíocht dhigiteach eile.

REPORT:

The Round Tower Clondalkin will present the heritage and origins of Clondalkin over its 1,200 years in the interpretative space incorporated in the centre. This will include opportunities to present Irish Culture in the area, notably Áras Chrónáin - the local Irish Cultural Centre, in Room 8, and the retail space which can be used to promote the activities and stories of the local Village. The Council are conscious that Áras Chrónáin has already developed experiences for tourists in conjunction with the hotels along the N7 and would be mindful to ensure that the nature and use of the Round Tower at Clondalkin is complementary to this cultural activity and does not displace visitors to any other attractions in the area.

Whilst being supportive of the distinctive Irish culture of the Village and area, for example through the incorporation of Áras Chrónáin as part of this years Red Line Book Festival, the Council need to be mindful that as a tourism investment with very significant potential economic and other benefits to the area, that the messages and language within the Round Tower are accessible to tourists from outside Ireland.

In terms of the development of a name for the new Centre, the Council has taken marketing advice on this and as the only place in Ireland dedicated to telling the story of a uniquely Irish heritage feature - Round Towers across Ireland, we are advised that an opportunity exists to take ownership of Round Towers, hence the working title for the Centre is "The Round Tower - Clondalkin".  

The Council has been testing this concept with the many prospective commercial operators who have visited the site as part of the process of selecting operators for the cafe and retail services and this title has been met favourably as having potential to drive positive profile and interest in the location and Clondalkin more widely via social media and other digital marketing.