Round Tower wins an excellence award

THE Round Tower Visitor Centre, in Clondalkin – Brú Chrónáin – is looking forward to a successful new year after winning a top excellence award.

The Round Tower, Clondalkin, which has become a key tourist destination in the region since opening its doors in July 2017, picked up the award in the Supporting Tourism category of the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards.

The hugely-successful visitor centre features an interpretative centre, exhibition space, café, gardens, and terrace dining. It nestled in the heart of Clondalkin Village, within minutes of the Grand Canal Greenway, Corkagh Regional Park and nearby Irish Cultural Centre, Áras Chrónáin. It is also home to the Happy Pear in Dublin.

The Visitor Centre was the first to tell the story of that most unique of Irish cultural features, the Round Tower.

Suitable for all ages, the interactive multimedia exhibition tells the story of over 1,000 years of Clondalkin’s history and heritage. The exhibition delves into Clondalkin’s medieval origins from the foundation of St Crónán Mo-Chua’s monastery to revealing intriguing clues to the town’s Viking past.

The Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards ceremony, sponsored by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, is held to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work being carried out by local authorities all over Ireland.

“The Round Tower, Clondalkin has stood witness to over 1,000 years of social and cultural development of the village, from monastic to modern, Viking to Victorian,” said Daniel McLoughlin, Chief Executive of South Dublin County Council.

“The opening of this exciting facility came after years of work between South Dublin County Council, the OPW and the local community.”