CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOPS SLR Consulting February 2019 1 Feasibility - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A PILGRIM WAY FOR THE SHANNON ERNE

SLR Consulting February 2019

CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOPS

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Feasibility Study: Background PILGRIM WAY FOR SHANNON ERNE

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Being undertaken by a unique Partnership of:

• 13 local development companies (LEADER)
• 13 local authorities*
• In partnership with Waterways Ireland
• Project Coordination by West Limerick Resources
• Partnership contracted SLR Consulting with Alan Hill to

conduct this feasibility study for the Pilgrim Way

*Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Galway, Offaly, Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim, Cavan, Donegal and Fermanagh.

SLR Consulting (Team)

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• Dr Deirdre Lewis – Project Manager
• Alan Hill – Tourism Development
• Aislinn O’Brien – Masterplanner
• Paul Gordon – SLR / Mapping & GIS
• Nick O’Neill – site surveys

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Structure of the Workshop this evening

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Time Topic By Whom

6.30pm

Registration Tea & Coffees on arrival

SLR staff

6.45pm

Introduction

Shay Riordan WLR & Project Partners

6.50pm

Project Overview : Pilgrim Way

Deirdre Lewis

7.00pm

Learnings from International Pilgrim Ways

Alan Hill

7.10pm

Workshop 1: Mapping Local Knowledge

ALL participants

7.35pm

PLENARY – combine responses

Deirdre Lewis

7.45pm

Workshop 2: Mapping the Potential of Sites

ALL participants

8.15pm

PLENARY – combine responses

Alan Hill

8.30pm

Close out & indication of next steps

Deirdre Lewis

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PILGRIM WAY for the SHANNON ERNE

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“ For almost two thousand years the Pilgrim Way has

been a place of escape. Early Christian monks escaped persecution in the Middle East by sailing to the island of Ireland, the most westerly land mass in Europe. Their yearning for isolation, love of literature and longing to live in harmony with nature, led them to settle on the inland waterways, islands and heartlands

• f Ireland.

The waterways became the 'Spiritual Highways' and their legacy a Pilgrim Way rich in natural and built heritage that has been trekked by many… and may be explored by those longing to escape today”

Vision for Pilgrim Way for Shannon Erne

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• To develop a cross-border waterways journey from North

Kerry via Fermanagh to South Donegal

• Focused on spiritual sites, on and along the waterways
• Attractive to both domestic and overseas visitors
• Enable visitors to enjoy the Way journeyed by monks

– Ireland's monastic and Early Medieval history – Ancient stories of Monks and Viking raiders.

AIM OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY: PILGRIM WAY

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• Opportunity to explore a unique, lengthy and well-

managed spiritual experience on the island of Ireland

• Create a brand of "sufficient scale and singularity" to attract
• verseas visitors.

Objectives

 Pilgrim Way will drive a revitalised and sustainable prosperity in local communities to enrich lives and transform communities economically, socially and recreationally.  Opening access to a world of natural and built heritage,  Opportunity to start or expand local businesses based on heritage, arts, tourism and recreation , which grows local economies and attracts further investment.

PARAMETERS FOR THE FEASIBILITY STUDY: PILGRIM WAY

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Focus on Early Medieval sites of international significance or capacity to attract an international audience

• Early Medieval ( 5th Century to 12th Century)
• Within 10km of the Shannon Erne navigation
• 350km in length - forming 20km sinuous corridor

from North Kerry to south Donegal, via Fermanagh

• Potential to expand and link with related

experiences in each county along the waterways – like leaves from a spinal branch

This project will focus on the feasibility of the Pilgrim Way ‘spine’ as a first step – the ‘leaves’ can bloom later!

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Baseline Mapping of Pilgrim Sites

Data Compilation of sites proposed by Project Partners 110 nominated sites – within 10km of Shannon-Erne (either side)

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CURRENT MAP

OF PROPOSED PILGRIM WAY SITES you will have a map of your area

• n your table

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Planning: Site Visits & Baseline Appraisals

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Tier 1: Internationally Significant Sites:

• Lough Derg, Co Donegal
• Devenish Island / Lough Erne
• Lough Ree / Inchcleraun (Quaker) Island
• Boyle Abbey, Roscommon
• St Mels, Longford
• Rindoon Peninsula, Roscommon
• Clonmacnoise Monastic Site
• Clonfert Cathedral
• Holy Island (Inis Cealtra)
• Limerick Cluster
• Adare Cluster
• Scattery Island
• (Others?)

Planning: Site Visits & Baseline Appraisals

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Tier 2: Significant Sites:

• Sites of national significance, with

potential for further development as Pilgrim Way sites

Tier 3: Linking Sites:

• Sites within vicinity (5-10km) of highly

significant sites that will add interest for the Pilgrim Way visitor in a given locality

Shannon Erne; links to Pilgrim Paths

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• Extensive network of national Pilgrim Paths
• Significant work completed by heritage interests

in developing network of Pilgrim Paths

• Team to engage with Pilgrim Ways

– (National & International/ EU)

• ICOMOS – International Council for Monuments

and Sites

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Key Issues for Consideration

• Site access – many sites are held in private ownership
• Many sites are active sites of religious observance
• Retaining the mystical/ spiritual essence of the sites
• Transport linkages along Shannon Erne for integrated

Pilgrim Way - will require multi-modal approach given there is no fixed ‘trail’

• Establishment of carrying capacity to ensure do not

destroy

• Management of Pilgrim sites to highest standards
• Potential linkages to Irish and European pilgrim ways
• Promotion of the Pilgrim Way as an international trail
• Funding and development/ implementation

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International Pilgrim Ways : findings

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World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) recognition of religious / pilgrimage tourism:-

• " ... one of the most effective tools to foster inclusive and

sustainable development ..."

• " ... a form of tourism driven by a given faith / set of

beliefs ..."

• " ... pilgrimage suggests that the participant is engaged in

a journey to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion ..."

International Pilgrim Ways :

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Range of Religious / Pilgrimage Tourism Internationally:-

• Traditional Pilgrimages - Lourdes;
• Religious Tourism - visiting religious sites because they are unique and sacred;
• Church Tourism - La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona / St Peters, Rome;
• Religious Events - Spanish Holy Week processions / Passion Plays, Austria;
• Missionary & ‘Voluntourism’ - Gap years;
• Retreat - monastery visit / stays - St Katherine Protectorate, Egypt
• Faith Based Cruises - expanding segment of the religious tourism market;
• Religious Routes - Council of Europe Heritage Routes (e.g. Camino to Santiago or

Via Francigena;

• Spiritual Pilgrimage - Mount Fuji, Japan
• Secular Pilgrimage - visiting grave of heroes (Elvis to WB Yeats) - also

'pilgrimages' to sites of great human or environmental tragedy from Ground Zero to Monte Cassino.

International Pilgrim Ways : findings

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Spirtual Tourism Development - International Perceptions

• Advantages: this type of niche tourism raises awareness of humanity's

common heritage and provides resources for preservation; significant accelerant for local development; builds cultural understanding.

• Challenges: preservation of religious sites and monuments; upholding

respect for faith based practices;

• Requiring inclusive/integrated development of host communities.

International Pilgrim Ways : findings

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Global Factors Influencing growth of Religious Sites / Pilgrimages:

• Search for authenticity;
• Personal beliefs in a secular age;
• Hunger for new tourism offerings;
• Search for the unusual;
• Cheaper flights & access ;
• Internet & Smart Devices aiding Interpretation;
• Need for sites to generate revenue to survive.

International Pilgrim Ways : Conclusion

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Managing religious and pilgrimage tourism requires a deep understanding of :

• the experience sought
• the site itself and
• the interaction between the

participant and the site.

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Workshops (4-5-6-7th February 2019)

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• Meeting many agencies / local authorities
• This week : 4 x workshops up and down the Shannon Erne
• Limerick, Athlone, Carrick-on-Shannon, Enniskillen
• Engaging with landowners/ local people/ heritage groups

We need your help!

• Understanding of local sites & significance
• Stories, saints, patterns, cures, other significance
• Access, Constraints, Safety, Structural/ Other concerns

WORKSHOP 1.1 Mapping Local Knowledge

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• What Pilgrim sites (churches/ chapels/ monasteries/ holy wells/
• ther) are you aware of in your locality?
• PLEASE FOCUS ON SITES THAT ARE ON YOUR MAP!
• Are these sites still in active spiritual use?
• What saints are associated with these sites?
• What rituals/ pilgrimages/ patterns / cures/ practices are

associated with these sites?

WORKSHOP 1.2 Mapping Local Knowledge

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• Are there other significant Pilgrim places/ features within 5km
• f the main site?
• Are these Pilgrim sites in public/ private ownership?
• Are these Pilgrim sites accessible to the public?
• What Viking sites are you aware of in this area (if any)?

WORKSHOP 2.1 Mapping the Potential of the Sites

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• What unique features/ attractions do you think these sites offer

to national / international pilgrims?

• What unique stories are associated with these sites?
• Are these sites linked along Pilgrim paths/ trails in Ireland ?
• Are you aware of international pilgrim links from these sites to
• ther Pilgrim sites in UK/ EU/ Asia Minor?

WORKSHOP 2.2 Mapping the Potential of the Sites

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• Are these sites managed by any local / church /or statutory body?
• What constraints exist in presenting these sites as an international

Pilgrim Way? – land access/ owners / – in use as spiritual / – lack of services (transport) to link sites - – access to Islands / lack of jetties

• Are you aware of any Carrying capacity issues / Sensitivity/

Flooding issues for these sites

PLENARY FEEDBACK from each table

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Next Steps…..

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• Consultative Workshops x 4
• Site Visits & Audits
• Comparative analyses of each site
• SWOT and development requirements
• Continued consultations with Stakeholders
• Consultations with Pilgrim Ways organisations/

ICOMOS/ Heritage Council

• Develop recommendations (see over)

Feasibility Study will deliver the following:

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ANALYSIS OF THE PILGRIM SITES

• A proposed spine route/area for the journey that may have looped trails branching from it with a list of

proposed sites

• A map showing the proposed route/area and proposed sites
• A list of proposed sites scored and ranked in terms of their level of development/under development taking

account of their condition, accessibility and current visitor numbers and experience

• An assessment of the condition and accessibility of the existing and potential sites along the trail and
• what is required to bring all sites up to an acceptable standard for delivery of the product
• An analysis of the ownership of the proposed sites and access issues that must be addressed.

ASSESSMENT OF SIMILAR PILGRIM ROUTES & VISITOR DEMANDS

• Critical success factors associated with similar international trails (e.g. Camino in Spain, Portugal and France)
• How the Pilgrim Way could compare with similar international trails.
• How the product will link with national, European and International Tourism policies.
• How to best market the product including who the target market would be nationally and internationally
• Analysis of the extent to which the project caters for target market
• Analysis of the technical, environmental, financial and sociocultural feasibility of the proposed project;

DELIVERABLES

• Detailed Action Plan: actions; resources, project implementation, responsibilities & costs
• Draft Financing Proposal for project implementation
• A SWOT analysis of Spiritual Trail from a technical, environmental, economic or socio-cultural perspective

Feasibility Study of Shannon Erne Pilgrim Way Thank you for your participation!

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