Poor signposting robs historical location of tourism potential

Tourists are missing out on one of the most famous battle sites in the country – because of very poor signage hidden behind shrubbery.

One of the ‘brown signs’ giving directions to the site of the 1691 Battle of Aughrim is hidden because of overgrown vegetation, while a sign on the other side of the village has fallen to the ground.

And it has been claimed that another sign is so far removed from the road that it cannot be seen by passing motorists.

The Battle of Aughrim Visitor Centre has become a huge visitor attraction over the years but there are complaints about the lack of proper signage to the facility.

The matter was raised at a meeting of Ballinasloe Municipal Council when it was stated that the visitor centre should be properly promoted and adequate signage should be part of this process.

Cllr Aidan Donohue said that while there was a sign on the M6 motorway for the Aughrim Visitor Centre, the signs along the old N6 between Ballinasloe and Loughrea were totally inadequate.

“One of them cannot be seen and the other one has fallen to the ground so it is basically ineffective. Not everyone who wants to visit the site of the battle come via the motorway”, the Fine Gael councillor added.

Visitors to the centre can relive one of Europe’s most bloody battles that changed the course of Irish history.

They will discover how three rival European Kings (William of Orange, James II and Louis III) took hold of Ireland in their struggle for power with over 45,000 soldiers gathering at Aughrim in 1691, in what proved to be the defining battle of the Williamite War in Ireland

It has become a popular venue for school tours who reenact scenes from the battle as well learning about the significance of the event in relation to other events such as the Battle of the Boyne and the sieges of Athlone and Limerick.

The centre offers visitors an interactive exhibition and a display of artefacts along with a guided tour of the battlefield at the Hill of Aughrim.

Cllr Donohue told the meeting in Ballinasloe that it was one of the most important visitor attractions in East Galway and proper signage was a necessary requirement.

“There are signs for Aughrim village but the brown tourist signs are inadequate as they cannot be seen. It is a basic requirement that the County Council provide proper signage to this important historic site.

“Not everyone who visits the interpretative centre come off the motorway. There are tourists who are visiting various parts of the county and the Burren and who do not see signs indicating the historic significance of Aughrim.

“It is a marvellous centre that has developed and improved over the years. In fact it could do with further investment but we have to put it on public display,” he added.