Written answers
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Office of Public Works
Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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286. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the visitor numbers for each visitor attraction operated by the Office of Public Works for each month in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4116/23]
Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The auditing process on visitor numbers to our national heritage sites commences in January each year, once visitor numbers for all sites up to the end of the previous December have been received. While every effort is made to finalise visitor numbers in a timely manner, it is a voluminous exercise due to the number of sites involved. The process of auditing and verifying the number of visitors to OPW heritage sites in 2022 is not yet complete. The 2022 visitor numbers will be published and shared with the Deputy as soon as they become available. In the meantime the 2019-2021 visitor numbers, detailed below, may be of assistance.
| Site Name | Total 2021 | Total 2020 | Total 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altamont | 108,962 | 76,749 | 73,821 |
| Áras | Closed | 879 | 5,440 |
| Ardfert Cathedral | 8,594 | 2,046 | 11,815 |
| Athenry Castle | 10,156 | 1,846 | 10,595 |
| Askeaton Castle | 359 | 261 | 0 |
| Aughnanure Castle | 13,961 | 1,678 | 31,519 |
| Ballyhack Castle | Closed | 0 | 2,155 |
| Barryscourt Castle | Closed | 0 | 0 |
| Battle of the Boyne/Oldbridge Est | 509,876 | 407,378 | 427,148 |
| Blasket Visitor Centre and Viewing point | 11,067 | 33,077 | 50,331 |
| Boyle Abbey | 8,325 | 0 | 7,935 |
| Brú na Boinne (incl. Newgrange & Knowth) | 30,119 | 20,644 | 229,338 |
| Cahir Castle | 34,959 | 7,630 | 87,333 |
| Carrowmore | 13,253 | 8,228 | 44,011 |
| Casino Marino | Closed | Closed | 4,941 |
| Castletown House & Parklands | 1,070,673 | 947,009 | 965,632 |
| Céide Fields | 24,176 | 17,200 | 30,391 |
| Charles Fort | 73,363 | 45,307 | 97,990 |
| Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre | 43,325 | 3,615 | 8,549 |
| Clonmacnoise | 10,203 | 16,283 | 141,969 |
| Custom House | 2,495 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrynane House and Parklands | 355,622 | 299,937 | 226,664 |
| Desmond Castle | Closed | 0 | 0 |
| Desmond Hall (Desmond Castle Newcastle West) | 19,426 | 6,129 | 12,356 |
| Doe Castle | 28,097 | 22,740 | 31,439 |
| Doneraile Park | 490,000 | 480,000 | 490,000 |
| Donegal Castle | 15,645 | 1,283 | 55,310 |
| Dublin Castle | 229,310 | 60,858 | 430,692 |
| Dún Aonghasa | 83,892 | 38,378 | 131,273 |
| Dungarvan Castle | 12,931 | 0 | 13,430 |
| Dunmore Cave | Closed | 2,768 | 36,199 |
| Durrow Abbey | 322 | 641 | 4,776 |
| Emo Court - Parklands and House | 379,161 | 330,000 | 390,481 |
| Ennis Friary | 6,058 | 0 | 14,040 |
| Famine Warhouse | 150 | 90 | 1,300 |
| Farmleigh Estate | 359,174 | 261,191 | 428,925 |
| Ferns Castle | 2,410 | 0 | 8,249 |
| Gallarus Castle | 34,077 | 0 | 101,499 |
| Garinish Island | 53,120 | 35,881 | 64,919 |
| Glebe House and Gallery | 18,491 | 10,062 | 32,257 |
| Glendalough Visitor Centre & Monument | 318,600 | 278,590 | 732,362 |
| Grianan of Aileach | 7,646 | 47,518 | 96,154 |
| Hill of Tara VC and grounds | 182,781 | 69,822 | 208,000 |
| J F Kennedy Arboretum | 143,707 | 138,866 | 128,451 |
| Jerpoint Abbey | 13,416 | 7,740 | 23,171 |
| Kells Priory | 57,800 | 57,071 | 43,623 |
| Kilkenny Castle & Parklands | 900,000 | 971,082 | 905,642 |
| Kilmacurragh Gardens | 105,000 | 46,178 | 71,543 |
| Kilmainham Gaol | 37,049 | 58,524 | 404,824 |
| Listowel | Closed | 0 | 11,498 |
| Loughcrew | 13,810 | 15,213 | 28,416 |
| Main Guard | 2,598 | 174 | 9,468 |
| Maynooth Castle | Closed | 0 | 21,937 |
| Mellifont Abbey | 14,715 | 23,618 | 31,951 |
| National Botanic Gardens | 640,000 | 600,070 | 684,561 |
| Newmills Corn and Flax Mills | Closed | 0 | 3,534 |
| Ormond Castle | 3,871 | 848 | 7,264 |
| Parke's Castle | 15,902 | 5,108 | 17,162 |
| Pearse Museum | 27,550 | 6,645 | 33,223 |
| Pearse's Cottage | 11,075 | 4,823 | 25,134 |
| Phoenix Park Visitor Centre | 1,805,660 | 1,641,875 | 209,024 |
| Portumna Castle | 40,919 | 24,933 | 20,777 |
| Rathfarnham Castle | 4,552 | 3,003 | 10,705 |
| Reginald's Tower | Closed | 0 | 29,305 |
| Reginald's Tower - French Church | Closed | 0 | 2,524 |
| Rock of Cashel | 103,003 | 37,631 | 361,596 |
| Roscrea Heritage and grounds | 1,380 | 0 | 16,900 |
| Ross Castle | 5,267 | 2,495 | 101,212 |
| Scattery Island | 6,104 | 4,877 | 6,530 |
| Skellig Michael | 12,105 | 0 | 15,616 |
| Sligo Abbey | Closed | 0 | 20,965 |
| St. Audoen's Church | Closed | 0 | 36,816 |
| St. Mary's Abbey | Closed | 0 | 0 |
| St. Mary's Church, Gowran | Closed | 0 | 2,197 |
| Swiss Cottage | 9,277 | 2,817 | 26,447 |
| Tintern Abbey | 33,957 | 0 | 23,458 |
| Trim Castle | 56,315 | 46,722 | 110,840 |
| Knockroe Tomb | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hore Abbey | 47,069 | 38,442 | 75,380 |
| Dowth | 15,459 | 11,095 | 17,093 |
| Rock of Dunamase | 47,244 | 42,793 | 42,773 |
| Fota Arboretum & Gardens | 155,111 | 101,413 | 113,695 |
| Blasket Island | 8,137 | 2,581 | 8,854 |
| Arbour Hill Cemetery | 72,928 | - | - |
| Grangegorman Military Cemetery | 24,717 | - | 0 |
| Iveagh Gardens | 294,428 | 247,542 | - |
| St Stephen's Green | 2,786,698 | 2,317,149 | - |
| Irish National War Memorial Gardens | 694,478 | 691,242 | - |
| TOTAL | 12,782,080 | 10,688,288 | 9,445,347 |
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