The National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, which is located in Turlough, is expecting to welcome its one millionth visitor towards the end of next week. The museum had expected the millionth visitor to pass through its doors in late September or early October, however there was an exceptionally strong performance in visitor numbers this year.
To date, the museum is more than 20 per cent ahead of where it was at this time last year, and it is also ahead for the same time in 2008. Tony Candon, manager keeper of the Museum of Country Life, said that staff in the Museum of Country Life were delighted. “The arrival of the one millionth visitor to the museum is a major milestone for us,” he said. “The fact that we have achieved this in less than nine years is also quite wonderful.”
Mr Candon attributed the success of the museum to the quality of its exhibits, both permanent and temporary, as well as “the commitment of staff to delivering imaginative exhibitions and activities, and to making people feel welcome, has been crucial.”
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny TD also welcomed the “truly impressive” news. “I had strongly campaigned for the museum to be located in the area during my time as minister for tourism and trade,” Dep Kenny said. “It is the only one the four national museums to be located outside of Dublin and it is important to recognise the benefits of the museum to the entire county.”
