Boxer announces 'kids go free' initiative at Clonmacnois and other OPW sites

Local Minister of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran announced today (Wednesday) that all children under 12 will be admitted for free to all of the Office of Public Works heritage sites. 

Clonmacnois is among the heritage sites where free admission for under-12s will apply. Others include Dublin Castle, Glendalough Visitor Centre, Kilmainham Gaol, Newgrange and the Rock of Cashel. 

This initiative will come into effect this Saturday (July 1) and will ensure that all children under 12 will have an opportunity to visit these sites for free with their families during the holiday period.

“I have set out to do this as one of my first acts as Minister for the OPW because I think there is a huge opportunity here to encourage our children to experience some of the best cultural and heritage sites in the country,†the Minister Moran said today.  

“We have some wonderful places to visit and I want every child to have an opportunity to visit them with their families during the summer holidays and up to the end of the year.â€

The OPW offers free access to all school-going children under their Free Schools Visits programme and about 80,000 children availed of this during 2016.  

“We are already very active in the OPW in terms of facilitating children through the Free Schools Visits programme†said the Minister, “and I want to extend that positive approach throughout the summer holiday period and beyond so that kids will learn to enjoy coming to these sites and see them as fun places to visit.

'Admission fees at OPW sites are very reasonable and as the under 12's are now to go free it will make for a very attractive and reasonably-priced day out for the whole family.â€

The OPW heritage sites with guided visitor services are as follows:

Ãras an Uachtaráin

Altamont Gardens

Ardfert Cathedral 

Athenry Castle 

Aughnanure Castle

Ballyhack Castle 

Barryscourt (closed presently)

Battle of the Boyne

Blasket Visitor Centre 

Boyle Abbey Seasonal 

Bryce House - Garinish Island 

Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre 

Cahir Castle

Carrowmore 

Casino Marino (closed presently)

Castletown 

Céide Fields 

Charles Fort 

Clonmacnoise 

Corlea Visitor Centre 

Derrynane House 

Desmond Castle 

Desmond Hall 

Donegal Castle 

Dublin Castle 

Dun Aonghasa 

Dungarvan Castle 

Dunmore Caves 

Emo Court 

Ennis Friary 

Farmleigh

Ferns Castle 

Garnish Island (Ilnacullin) 

Glebe House and Gallery 

Glendalough Visitor Centre 

Gowran Church 

Hill of Tara 

JFK Memorial Park & Arboretum 

Jerpoint Abbey 

Kilkenny Castle 

Kilmainham Gaol 

Knowth 

Listowel Castle 

Loughcrew 

Maynooth Castle 

Mellifont Abbey 

National Botanic Gardens 

Newgrange

Newmills 

Ormond Castle 

Parke's Castle 

Pearse Cottage 

Pearse Museum 

Phoenix Park Visitor Centre 

Portumna Castle 

Rathfarnham Castle 

Reginald's Tower 

Rock of Cashel 

Roscrea Heritage Centre 

Ross Castle 

Scattery Island 

Skellig Michael 

Sligo Abbey 

St. Audoen's Church 

Swiss Cottage 

The Main Guard, Clonmel

Tintern Abbey 

Trim Castle and Keep