Visitors to St Patrick’s Cathedral in the heart of Dublin 8 will now be able to get a high tech insight into the building - past and present, with the launch of a new Discovery

 Space.

 Pictured at the launch were Canon Horace McKinley, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Orla Carroll, director of strategic development, Failte Ireland, Minister Paschal Donohoe and Andrew Smith, education officer, St. Patrick's Cathedraal.

 

The Discovery Space is Phase Two of the €250,000 works to the building and was funded by Fáilte Ireland and St Patrick's Cathedral.

 Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD together with Orla Carroll, Director of Strategic Development with Fáilte Ireland were on hand to officially open the new area, which is housed in the south transept of the historic building.

 Highlights of the new facility include a large touch screen table featuring interactive content on the building’s history; brass rubbings; a large jigsaw of one of the windows of the Cathedral; a small reference library; an Audio Visual unit; and a number of iPad computers featuring the Cathedral’s app.

 The Discovery Space fuses the history of the Cathedral with modern technology, with the docks housing the iPads, the Discovery Boxes where the games are stored, and the Audio Visual unit constructed from recycled 19th Century carved oak pews from the building.

 

Meanwhile, those visiting the AV area will be treated to short video snippets showing the Cathedral’s history. The seated area will also allow for presentations to small groups of people unsuited to the tour, giving them greater access to and appreciation of the historic church, which dates from 1220.

 Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD commented: “Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, which dates back 800 years, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. Its location in the heart of Dublin city saw close to half a million people visiting it last year but, as is the case with the tourism sector generally, we must continue to seek the most effective ways of attracting more visitors and of meeting their needs.

 Fáilte Ireland’s Director of Strategic Development, Orla Carroll emphasised Dublin’s strategic importance for overseas tourism to Ireland. Almost three quarters of overse

 Speaking at today’s launch, Canon Horace McKinley from St Patrick’s Cathedral said: “Last year nearly half a million tourists and school children paid a visit to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, with the average visit lasting around 23 minutes.

 “We hope that this fantastic new interactive resource will make the Cathedral even more accessible to those interested our rich cultural heritage, encouraging them to stay longer and allowing them to learn in a more modern and interesting way. Ultimately, we hope that the Discovery Space will enhance visitors’ experience and enjoyment of their surroundings.”

 The Cathedral’s mobile app, which will be displayed on the iPads at the Discovery Centre, allows visitors to access multimedia information on key features of the Cathedral through their mobile devices. As visitors self-guide though the Cathedral’s interior, the app automatically illuminates key points of interest on their mobile devices, presenting them with a particularly engaging experience. This is made possible by the app’s use of iBeacon technology.