New tourism guide to point visitors in direction of Kells

The US Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission, John Hennessy-Niland, officially launched the Kells and District Tourism Brochure at Headfort House last week. Earlier on Tuesday, he had been taken on a tour of Donaghpatrick Church, Rath Airthir (the Eastern Fort) and the graveyard at Teltown, as well as a tour of Headfort House and its historic eating parlour. The launch was attended by over 100 people, including the cathaoirleach of Kells Town Council, Cllr Brian Collins; Aidan Wall, chairperson of Kells Tourism Forum; Dermot Dix, headmaster of Headfort School; Dr Stacey Alyn of Trinity College's Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies; Kevin Stewart, Kells area manager, and Geraldine Gaughran, president of Kells Chamber of Commerce. Mr Wall said that Meath was a treasure trove of history and archaeology and Kells was at the centre of it. "The brochure will be instrumental in helping visitors to the area, as well as local people, who will hopefully interact and help out tourists - this would really make their holiday," he said. Cllr Collins congratulated the Kells Tourism Forum for its work on the brochure and thanked the sponsors and Meath Partnership. He said that Kells had seen worse times - in the Dark Ages, Kells and other monastic sites kept the light of learning alive and defeated barbarism. Mr Hennessy-Niland expressed his great pleasure to be back in Kells and said he was delighted to launch the Kells and District Tourism Brochure in the historic surrounds of Headfort House. He acknowledged the work of the Kells Tourism Forum, which includes tourism providers, businesspeople, community workers, church bodies and other community groups and interested individuals. He said the brochure would help maximise the tourism potential of this historic area of Ireland. He also acknowledged Meath Partnership for its efforts and for providing the funding for the brochure which was sure to bring many new visitors to this very special area, and hopefully that would include many Americans, he added. "Last year, just over one million American tourists visited Ireland and, in 2010, 360,000 Irish tourists visited the United States," he said. "Looking forward to the Olympics in London this summer, we're reminded that nearby Teltown is the home of the ancient Tailteann Games, which not only pre-date the ancient Greek Olympic Games but possibly - who knows - may have been their inspiration.". Kevin Stewart of Meath County Council said a key part of economic development in Meath was the contribution of tourism. He pointed out that tourism added €5 billion to the Irish economy and provided employment for 200,000 people. Of this, approximately 3,500 were employed in Meath. Dr Stacey Alyn said Trinity College had been delighted to welcome Aidan Wall and members of the Kells Tourism Forum in October of last year so that they might explain their campaign for the return of one volume of the Book of Kells to the town. She said the college was more than willing to work with the Kells Tourism Forum to promote the region's cultural heritage. "The way forward, clearly and quite simply, is for Kells and Trinity to work together in a truly collaborative spirit," Dr Alyn said. There was a danger, though, she said, that the Book of Kells, in light of its celebrity status, could overshadow the other magnificent treasures of Kells, including the monuments and sights mentioned in the new brochure - in particular, the four ancient crosses carved with animal and figure sculptures, the round tower of the Abbey of Kells, and 'St Columba's House', the 11th century church which stands with its ancient stone roof astonishingly intact. "Conservation of these treasures should, of course, be a priority and undoubtedly the invaluable work and enhanced profile of the Kells Tourism Forum will do much to highlight the importance, indeed, pressing necessity, of restoration work," she added. Secretary of Kells Tourism Forum, Lucy O'Reilly, presented Mr Hennessy Niland with a bog oak carving made by local artist, Patrick Morris.