Portalis to host public cultural tourism workshops


07.11.2022

The aim of the events is to establish a Cross Border Cultural Network and develop tourism in Welsh and Irish coastal communities.

Portalis, an EU funded transdisciplinary project that explores the first connection between Ireland and Wales dating back to the Mesolithic period, is inviting members of the public to attend a series of workshops taking place in six unique coastal communities in Wales and Ireland.

The Welsh Coastline Photo Credit Nemeton TV

The Welsh Coastline Photo Credit: Nemeton TV.

The cross-border local engagement events will look to introduce the Portalis project and explore how elements of the project can be used to develop cultural tourism in the coastal communities and their surrounding areas.

Welsh and Irish coastal communities

The communities involved are Tan-y-Bwlch, The Aeron Valley and Llangrannog in Ceredigion, Wales; and Dunmore East, The Hook Peninsula, and the Waterford Estuary in Ireland.

In Wales, the series will kick off in New Quay on November 15th at 6.30pm at New Quay Memorial Hall. It will be followed by Tregaron on November 16th at 6.30pm at Tregaron Memorial Hall, Llandysul on November 17th at 6.30pm at Tysul Hall, Aberaeron on November 18th at 6.30pm at Aberaeron Memorial Hall, Cardigan on November 23rd at 6.30pm at Cardigan Guild Hall, Aberystwyth on November 24th at 6.30pm at Ceredigion Museum and finally with Lampeter to take place on November 29th 6.30pm at the Old Hall on University of Wales Trinity Saint David Lampeter Campus. Refreshments will be provided.

Donal Nolan, Strategic Projects Officer, Waterford Chamber of Commerce and Network Development Lead for the Portalis project said, “The events will look to achieve a number of objectives, including the formation of a Cross Border Cultural Network that will be the focal point for future development projects between the Irish and Welsh regions.”

Protecting cultural and natural coastal heritage

The overall aims of the Portalis project are to protect cultural and natural coastal heritage, promote understanding of climate change adaptation, grow cross-border community networks, and support a sustainable increase in visitors to coastal communities.

Carrie Canham, Curator of Ceredigion Museum in Aberystwyth said, “We’re very much looking forward to developing this important work that will not only tell the story of our earliest links with Ireland, but will build an ongoing relationship that will benefit both sides of the Irish sea.”

This will be achieved using existing evidence with new data to develop a powerful new cross-border narrative, accessible within a new visitor experience at Waterford Museum of Treasures, Ireland, and Ceredigion Museum, Wales. The €1.95 million project aims to raise awareness and support community and business sustainable engagement, resulting in the establishment of two new experiential tourism and cultural networks in both Ireland and Wales.

Opportunities for blue and green economic growth

Speaking about these project goals, Joy Rooney, Portalis Senior Responsible Officer and Lecturer and Researcher in Design at South East Technological University (SETU) said, "As we explore the earliest connections between Welsh and Irish coastal civilizations, this is mirrored by the citizen led multi-agency cross-border partnership now being forged by our contemporary coastal communities into two distinct cross-border networks. We draw on this resilience now in terms of our coastal climate change adaptation and our opportunities for blue and green economic growth.”

Portalis is supported with €1.5m funding from the European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Cooperation Programme, www.irelandwales.eu The project is led by South East Technological University and is supported by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Ceredigion County Council and Waterford Chamber of Commerce.

To register for your free place at the events, please go to http://portalisproject.eu/

First finds at Llanllyr excavation

Note to Editor

Photo Caption: The Welsh Coastline, courtesy of Nemeton TV 

Media contact: Lisa Bodden, Communications for Research, Innovation and Graduate Studies Office, SETU E: lisa.bodden@waltoninstitute.ie M: 0857693332

Available for interview on request:

  • SETU: Joy Rooney, SRO Portalis.
  • Waterford Chamber: Donal Nolan, Strategic Projects Executive.
  • Ceredigion Museum: Carrie Canham, Curator of Ceredigion Museum in Aberystwyth

Further Information

For more information please contact Arwel Lloyd, Principal PR and Communications Officer, on 01267 676663 / arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk