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A WILDLIFE PARK in North Cork is one of Ireland’s best-performing tourist attractions.
And while the natural beauty of the park may be the main attraction for visitors – many more people are hearing about it now, thanks to a decision made a few years ago to simply count the number of people entering the grounds.
The large entrance gates under the Triumphal Arch mark the formal entrance to the landscaped estate of Doneraile Wildlife Park. The park’s 166 hectares of land are full of mature groves of deciduous trees – and deer can be viewed from along the many pathways within the estate.
Doneraile Wildlife Park was named this week as Ireland’s fourth-most-popular ‘free to enter’ attraction of 2016 by Fáilte Ireland, attracting over 480,000 visitors last year. This was an 11% rise on the visitor numbers of 2015.
The annual Fáilte Ireland list of top attractions is eagerly anticipated within the tourist sector each year – and receives widespread attention from the national media.
Alongside Doneraile in the top five for 2016 are much better-known locations like the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin city centre and the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Kilmainham.
And though it’s regarded as a local treasure in Cork, Doneraile may not be a household name elsewhere in Ireland. The park made it into the top five ‘free to enter’ attractions in 2014, but fell out of the list in 2015.
Interestingly, it wasn’t actually eligible for inclusion in the Fáilte list before 2014 – because no-one could be sure how many people were using the park.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie Myra Ryall of the Doneraile Development Association explained that her group, working alongside Cork County Council, decided to install counters so they would have a tally of visitors.
“That’s how we have the official data of the figures,” she said.
It wasn’t being promoted before 2014. There was no counters, there was just a couple of locals saying we needed to gather together and get the counters.
The majority of the garden design and architecture of the park was completed in the early 18th Century, when it was home to the St Leger family.
The estate is regarded as a perfect example of an 18th Century landscaped park in the ‘Capability Brown’ style. Brown was known as one of England’s greatest gardeners.
“It’s a beautiful sight and speaks for itself. It draws in the crowds,” Doneraile Park superintendent Hugh Corrigan said.
The landscape draws people into the park, the fact that you’re away from the traffic. For families, the playground is a star attraction, the tea rooms as well.
“There’s something in Doneraile for everybody; if you’re a walker, if you’re a landscape enthusiast, or maybe you have an interest in garden history. The Georgian style landscape is very prevalent there, that is a major attraction in itself,” Corrigan said.
The culture and the heritage that’s there is fantastic and probably unparalleled in terms of the history of the site.
A lot of work and investment has gone into keeping up the historical beauty of Doneraile over the past few years and this has helped boost tourist numbers.
2013 saw the completion of conservation works to the Triumphal Arch in Doneraile Park. The Arch was conserved following a survey that found the structure was in a failing condition.
“We’re trying to grow tourism in the North Cork area. We have made significant investment in Doneraile, with playgrounds, walking routes and tea rooms in recent years,” Corrigan said.
Going forward, we are hoping to invest further into it to keep the growth going.
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Great to see the parks and great houses ‘its the one section of councils that are somewhat successful
@FlopFlipU: Unfortunately not, it’s the Office of Public Works who run and maintain it. Consider your lack of faith in councils restored again, you’re welcome!
It’s a nice park but it’s not a ‘Wildlife’ park.
@Padraig: are there no wild animals on the grounds?
@Padraig: There are Deer in the park and other wild animals , so yes , it’s a wildlife park .
I think someone in Tourism Ireland made a typo.Its simply Doneraile Park.The wildlife park is Fota.
https://i1.wp.com/www.ontheqt.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Doneraile-Park-18.jpg?resize=496%2C372
@Padraig: the address is Doneraile Park, it is a wildlife park as there are wild animals roaming the property.
@Padraig: It has Deer, ducks and a few goats.
@Maggie O’Connor: and various other types of birds as well as rabbits and foxes
@Dave O Keeffe: not to mention feild mice and worms
@Maggie O’Connor: No goats, deer, ducks, otters, birds and a herd of Kerry cattle. A jewel of a place.
@Fon Ellard: No goats But it does have deer, etc. was what I meant.
@Fon Ellard: trip advisor photos clearly show goats. I’ll be fiercely disappointed if I travel that far and there’s no goats.
It’s an awful pity that Coillte are in control of Curraghchase as it has the potential to be a fantastic park for visitors. But 5 euro charge to enter a park where there is little or no money put back into it is shocking. The lake is being left to return to the bog it was 300 years ago. The grass cutting gets less and less as the years go by, and the toilet facilities are like something from Trainspotting. The OPW could do so much more with it. Have to say though, fair dues to the crew that took over the campsite, that at least has had money, care and attention put into it. Just a real pity if you want to go for a coffee in the cafe there, it’s 5 euros entrance fee for the park, and then the cost of the coffee and cake.
@Grainne Burke: make it free and charge more for the coffee and cake?
For history buffs: Elizabeth St Ledger was born here, and became the first female Freemason. She later married the Aldworth family of Newmarket, and became Lady Aldworth. Beautiful history between the two houses. Also, it was volunteers that first cleaned it up. Beautiful part of the world. Lots to see in North Cork.
Not heard of it?!!!!!! Da bloody cheek.
@Padraig: No I live fairly close to it and it’s Doneraile wildlife park.
Some clown writing for the Sunday independent supplement had an article two weeks ago giving out someone took his bench at Doneral park.
Get a life ! Ya Clown .
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