The arrival of a 5,750-tonne cruise ship for the first time on the Boyne on Monday has opened up a whole new potential market for the tourist industry in Meath.
The MS Clipper Adventurer, with 122 passengers, berthed at Tom Roe's Point near Drogheda early on Monday morning and a number of the Canadian and North American passengers visited Newgrange during their six-hour stopover. The cruise liner is on its inaugural circumnavigation of Ireland, visiting a number of destinations.
The cruise is organised by Adventure Canada and brought the visitors here in association with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. The passengers will be taking in the history, archaeology, bird and marine life, culture, and music of the country with a top-class lecture and resource team on board the vessel. The Clipper Adventurer is most often found in polar waters, either Antarctica or the Arctic.
The circumnavigation will visit the Skelligs, Aran Isles, the fantastic gardens on Garnish, Tory Island and the Boyne Valley over 10 days. The growing importance of cruise liner tourism to the Irish and local economy is considerable.
The direct economic contribution arising from the role of the ports in the cruise sector is estimated at an average expenditure per capita per visit of €297, in addition to the employment and economic impacts arising from the indirect and induced impacts of expenditures arising from the cruise liner tourism.
"With its downtown location, Drogheda Port is perfect for us," said Matthew Swan, president of Adventure Canada.
Nessa Lally, Drogheda Port Company, said: "This is the beginning of something special for Drogheda and the Boyne Valley. The area has tremendous potential as a regular cruise destination with world-class and potential world class attractions such as Newgrange, Slane Castle, Beaulieu House, the Battle of the Boyne site, the Hill of Tara and Medieval Drogheda town itself, to mention just a few."
Meath County Council cathaoirleach Cllr Eoin Holmes welcomed the arrival of the cruise ship as a potential boost to tourism in Meath. "Some people are not happy when Drogheda refers to itself as the gateway to the Boyne Valley. Well, I'm very happy about it because let's open those gates and let tourist see what wonderful things we have to offer in Meath.
"The fact that some of the Clipper's passengers came to Newgrange is very important to us. It is a world-famous site and if they spread the word around, then we can look forward to many more people coming."
Cllr John V Farrelly, chairman of Meath Tourism, said: "There is every possibility of Meath getting its share of the trade from tourists coming in by cruise ship.
"It's a great first for the country and when we have this circumnavigation of the country it means that everyone gets a little bite of the cherry. We welcome this development and hope that it will be the first of many cruises coming into Drogheda."
Boyne Valley tourism officer Michele Whelan said it was well-known that cruise passengers spend money and the whole tourist industry in the north-east would be hoping that the cruise ship industry here would fulfil its full potential.
The MS Clipper Adventurer, with 122 passengers, berthed at Tom Roe's Point near Drogheda early on Monday morning and a number of the Canadian and North American passengers visited Newgrange during their six-hour stopover. The cruise liner is on its inaugural circumnavigation of Ireland, visiting a number of destinations.
The cruise is organised by Adventure Canada and brought the visitors here in association with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. The passengers will be taking in the history, archaeology, bird and marine life, culture, and music of the country with a top-class lecture and resource team on board the vessel. The Clipper Adventurer is most often found in polar waters, either Antarctica or the Arctic.
The circumnavigation will visit the Skelligs, Aran Isles, the fantastic gardens on Garnish, Tory Island and the Boyne Valley over 10 days. The growing importance of cruise liner tourism to the Irish and local economy is considerable.
The direct economic contribution arising from the role of the ports in the cruise sector is estimated at an average expenditure per capita per visit of €297, in addition to the employment and economic impacts arising from the indirect and induced impacts of expenditures arising from the cruise liner tourism.
"With its downtown location, Drogheda Port is perfect for us," said Matthew Swan, president of Adventure Canada.
Nessa Lally, Drogheda Port Company, said: "This is the beginning of something special for Drogheda and the Boyne Valley. The area has tremendous potential as a regular cruise destination with world-class and potential world class attractions such as Newgrange, Slane Castle, Beaulieu House, the Battle of the Boyne site, the Hill of Tara and Medieval Drogheda town itself, to mention just a few."
Meath County Council cathaoirleach Cllr Eoin Holmes welcomed the arrival of the cruise ship as a potential boost to tourism in Meath. "Some people are not happy when Drogheda refers to itself as the gateway to the Boyne Valley. Well, I'm very happy about it because let's open those gates and let tourist see what wonderful things we have to offer in Meath.
"The fact that some of the Clipper's passengers came to Newgrange is very important to us. It is a world-famous site and if they spread the word around, then we can look forward to many more people coming."
Cllr John V Farrelly, chairman of Meath Tourism, said: "There is every possibility of Meath getting its share of the trade from tourists coming in by cruise ship.
"It's a great first for the country and when we have this circumnavigation of the country it means that everyone gets a little bite of the cherry. We welcome this development and hope that it will be the first of many cruises coming into Drogheda."
Boyne Valley tourism officer Michele Whelan said it was well-known that cruise passengers spend money and the whole tourist industry in the north-east would be hoping that the cruise ship industry here would fulfil its full potential.
