'It's time to put the Kingdom of Mídhe back on the map'
A new network for tourism providers in Westmeath, Meath and Cavan is up and running and its chair says that "it's time to put the Kingdom of Mídhe back on the map".
Members of the newly established Kingdom of Mídhe Tourism Network recently met in Caffrey’s Bar & Restaurant in Oldcastle to discuss their plans for the future and to form a committee that will enable them to access funding for this tourism project.
The committee proposed Chris Murphy as the chairperson of the group. Mr Murphy has a huge knowledge of the area and the tourism sector, in general. Deputy Johnny Guirke, who has previously been involved in tourism groups, was nominated as vice chair, while Bartle Darcy was elected as the secretary and will be assisted by David Jones. Creative director and PRO roles went to Jason Finane and Justin Burke respectively.
The committee includes representatives from each county with Jane O'Reilly and Noel Kinahan from Westmeath, Morgan Hole and Noel Connell from Cavan and Deborah Conlan, Joe Conlan and Cllr Michael Gallagher from Meath. The next meeting will be on Thursday March 30 with a venue to be confirmed.
Having chaired all meetings up to this point, Deputy Johnny Guirke welcomed Murphy in as the new chair of the group.
"I have known Chris for many years now through my time as a local councillor in the Kells Electorate area and through many tourism initiatives. The group have chosen a man who is full of knowledge of the three counties, and knows the tourism industry inside out. I am more than happy to work under Chris in this project as his wealth of experience will be the tool to drive us forward and help us achieve the goals that the network group has set."
The new chair said that he is "absolutely delighted to be involved in an organisation that sees the incredible potential we have here".
"We want to work with all the relevant state and local bodies, to mirror the success of the Boyne Valley brand in south Meath, and shine a light on all that the wider region has to offer. Meath, Westmeath and Cavan have a shared history that goes back millennia, and, as part of the middle kingdom of Ireland, all have been central to so much that defines our national identity and culture. From the Tailteann Aonach, to the Book of Kells and the O’Neill High Kings, who from their family seats at Uisneach, Kells and Slane, dominated Irish politics for centuries, this is the heartland of Ireland’s story.
"We have the scenery and sites, the history and the stories, but we also have fantastic fishing, golf courses, outdoor activities, top class hotels and B&Bs, and amazing locally grown and produced cuisine; it's time to put the Kingdom of Mídhe back on the map, in the middle where it belongs."