Communities Minister Paul Givan and Counciller Mary Garrity, Chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, cutting the ribbon to officially open Enniskillen Castle Museum. Looking on are Brendan Hegarty (Chief Executive), Paul Mullan (Head of HLF Northern Ireland), Terry McCartney (Tourism NI) and Esdille Lappin (Friends of Fermanagh County Museum) RMG34
THE Enniskillen Castle museum complex has been officially opened following a multi-million pound refurbishment.
The complex now boasts new galleries which tell the story of the local area from prehistoric to modern times with imaginative displays of objects, photographs, paintings, archives and oral histories.
Visitors to the castle can also view restoration work being undertaken on museum collections in ‘behind the scenes’ rooms and trace their family tree with assistance from the Fermanagh Genealogy Centre volunteers.
The site now boasts an extensive Visitor Centre signposting attractions and providing information on the local area and beyond. The Centre provides panoramic views of the Castle’s redeveloped grounds and Lough Erne as well as cafe facilities.
Speaking at the official opening, chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Mary Garrity, said: “The refurbishment of Enniskillen Castle has enabled the council to open more of the complex to the public, creating extra space for additional museum collections of local, national and international significance to be displayed.
“The resultant redevelopment of the Castle is stunning, transforming it into an information and heritage gateway, not only for the local area but also beyond. I am confident that the redevelopment will lead to a significant influx of visitors to the site which houses both the Inniskillings Museum and the Fermanagh County Museum.”
The multi-million pounds investment has enabled Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to open up the whole of the Enniskillen Castle complex and enable more museum collections of local, national and international significance to be viewed and enjoyed by visitors.
The £3.5 million project which received funding from the National Lottery, the European Regional Developmentthe Department for Communities, Historic Environment Division, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and the Friends of Fermanagh County Museum, has transformed Enniskillen Castle into a state of the art visitor attraction and flagship events space for the area.
The museum is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5pm, Saturday 11am to 5pm and Sunday, June to September from 11am to 5pm. Admission is £5 for adults, £3.50 for children, student and senior concession £3.50, family rate £13.50.
For further information on Enniskillen Castle please visit www.enniskillencastle.co.uk or telephone 028 6632 5000.
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