COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN, NEWCASTLE, RATHCOOLE, SAGGART AND BRITTAS AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

MOTION NO. 2

MOTION: Councillor E. Ó Broin

That this Area Committee agrees that SDCC should directly manage the gardens, museum, and local produce shop parts of the Round Tower Heritage Centre (Brú Chrónáin).

REPORT:

Brú Chrónáin Round Tower Visitor Centre is operated under a management licence model where a commercial operator tenders for the right to operate at the council owned facility. Such a model ensures that an entity working in the area of food preparation, hospitality, and retail, should manage the building. Staff facilities, changing room, and office space are limited and allocated to those involved in delivering the service. This operating model has been in place since the centre opened in 2017 and has ensured the centre has stayed open 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year. Over that period of time, over 500,000 have crossed the threshold of the centre because it has been open every day of the week. This continuity of service was a feature of the management licence model. The centre only closed when public buildings and visitor attractions were mandated to remain closed during the Covid 19 global pandemic.  The most recent operator kept the centre open since Covid 19. Unfortunately, this operator ceased trading in December due to their own commercial situation.

The Council is working towards ensuring that the Round Tower Visitor Centre reopens as soon as possible and is working with all stakeholders to ensure this happens. The Council appreciates the understanding given by the public and others as it works through the process to secure a new management licence holder is put in place. Work on this process began immediately the previous operator ceased trading two weeks before Christmas. The Council has now selected a preferred operator and is in negotiations with said operator to arrange a soft launch of the service within the next few weeks, pending contract negotiations.

In the meantime, the Council is using this time of temporary closure to undertake some essential maintenance within the visitor centre and to allow for the transition to the new operator. Moreover, within the spirit of maintaining the integral part Brú Chrónáin plays in the life of the community in Clondalkin, the Council has opened the centre for a number of bespoke events and tours which include two Tradfest events and a St Brigid’s Festival event. The Council has met with the  volunteer tour guiding group in order to facilitate this group to recommence booked tours at an appropriate time having regard to the maintenance programme..