New plan to make most of Belvedere for tourism

With restoration works on Belvedere House, complete and it likely to be re-open to the public this year, there are plans to make it a major attraction in the region, it was announced at the February meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad.

Belvedere House dates from 1740 and is set on a 160-acre estate on the shore of Lough Ennell. The house, gardens and parks are a multi-faceted tourism and leisure asset open all year round that attracts some 100,000 visitors annually.

The cost of the restoration was €1 million, and funding is now being sought to advance conservation projects. The facility is owned by Westmeath County Council, who maintain it with staff and volunteers.

The council are also working with Fáilte Ireland on a masterplan for Belvedere to promote it as a major tourist attraction, and €250,000 has been secured to develop that plan – €187,500 from the EU Just Transition Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, and the balance from council coffers.

The masterplan will guide the future development and management of Belvedere with the intention of optimising its tourism and revenue generation. It is also intended to balance the tourism development with the community and heritage value of the estate.

A pipeline of actions and projects that are feasible and deliverable in the short, medium and long term will be set out.

Members welcomed the announcement and suggested ways in which the facility could be promoted, linked to other attractions in the county, and its potential realised. Many of them referred to Belvedere as the “jewel in the crown” but felt that it should be used to push the huge range of attractions in outlying areas.

In reply to members, Mary Goldsberry, newly appointed senior executive officer/district manager, said that Paul O’Brien, the new supervisor, is reopening the interpretive centre at Belvedere, and the playground is being refurbished at present.

The mayor of the municipal district, Cllr Ken Glynn, and Cllr Denis Leonard were both selected to join their colleagues Cllr Aoife Davitt, Cllr Emily Wallace and Cllr Bill Collentine on the Belvedere governing committee.