New Longford 'landmark' to boost tourism opportunities in single trail

Lanesboro is attracting more visitors who are staying in the area for the day and they are feeling the benefits of a new 'landmark' tourism initiative the Irish Whiskey Way that weaves Ireland’s distilling traditions, landscapes and community stories into a single trail.

That is the view of local man Michael Clancy, co-founder of Lough Ree Distillery, who told a panel of whiskey and tourism experts at the launch of the new website developed by The Irish Whiskey Association (IWA).

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He said such incremental changes will help the Irish whiskey tourism offering to cater to the “high-end, high-spend” consumer and will be vital to businesses in the years ahead.

The Irish Whiskey Way is a website which showcases Ireland’s leading Irish Whiskey distillery experiences and visitor centres and allows any tourist coming to Ireland to build their own food and drink trail across the island.

Mr Clancy said distilleries are a unique type of business and they have seen a 'ripple effect'.

"Every bottle of our products that goes out across the world carries Lough Ree and Lanesboro, Co Longford on the label, making it an advertisement and an invitation for people to visit.

"The interest we get from International Whiskey tourists has grown organically even though we haven't built our final visitor experience, but we can still give them a warm welcome.

"We’ve welcomed tourists from as far away as Tasmania, Singapore and Hawaii, along with a lot of European, US and Canadian visitors.

"We’ve organised full day itineraries in the Lanesboro area - visiting Corlea and local bogs, partnering with local pubs for lunch and tastings, arranging boat trips with Lough Ree Access for All and Lough Ree Boat and Walking Tours.

"We’ve even had a group in for a swim in the Shannon, followed by a sauna in The Sweaty Yeti before their whiskey tasting.
"There are an increasing number of guests staying overnight in the area and it’s great to see more quality accommodation options coming on stream.”

The interactive Irish Whiskey Way website, which was launched by Enterprise Minister Peter Burke, also provides guides on food pairings, developed in collaboration with Ireland’s best-known chefs, and cocktail recipes, making it more than just a tour of Ireland’s distilleries, but a full cultural and sensory experience.

Those attending heard how changes last September have positively impacted tourism and trade, including the relaxed rules on liquid amounts when travelling through Dublin Airport with an increase on the limit on liquids in hand luggage from 100mls to two litres and no limit on the number of items that can be carried.

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Mr Clancy said that the new relaxed airport rules on liquids at Dublin Airport - with an increase on the limit on liquids in hand luggage from 100mls to two litres and no limit on the number of items that can be carried - means travellers are now happy to purchase Irish whiskey products as they can comfortably travel with the bottle in their hand luggage.

Mr Clancy was joined on the panel by CEO of Tourism Ireland Alice Mansergh, CEO of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, Head of Operations at Fáilte Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands Paddy Matthews and Director of the Irish Whiskey Association, Eoin Ó Catháin.