by Bernie English bernie@limerickpost.ie
An Post has appointed Shannon Heritage, part of the newly established Shannon Group plc, to operate and manage the €7m GPO Witness History Interpretive Exhibition Centre. The contract was awarded following a competitive tender process.
The world-class visitor centre is currently under construction in the inner eastern courtyard of the iconic building and is expected to attract up to 300,000 visitors annually following its opening at Easter 2016.
Speaking about the contract award, Shannon Heritage CEO, John Ruddle said: “Shannon Heritage is delighted to be involved in this nationally important project at the iconic GPO location. We has been managing visitor attractions for over 50 years and this new visitor attraction provides the company with a great opportunity to expand in the capital city and also play a vital role in the celebrations of the centenary of the Irish state,”
Heather Humpheys TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said:”This is another important milestone in the development of this major new visitor attraction at the GPO. It is one of 7 major public projects being developed as part of Ireland 2016, the Government’s initiative to commemorate the 1916 Rising. GPO Witness History will leave us with a lasting legacy from Ireland 2016 and will be a fantastic addition to Dublin’s tourism offering. It is on track to be open at Easter 2016, as part of the wide range of events to commemorate the Rising.”
Highlighting the importance of the project, Neil Pakey, CEO Shannon Group said: “An Post and Shannon Heritage are two solid Irish brands and this is an important opportunity to create synergies. The GPO is an iconic building and allows us a huge opportunity to welcome visitors from all over the world to this new experience. We will work hard with our new partners, An Post, to create one of the best visitor experiences in the country and look forward to the challenge of creating some real excitement at the very heart of Dublin.”
