THE Roddy McCorley Society have been awarded £50,000 from the Whitemountain Programme to create disabled access points to the new Roddy McCorley Museum of Irish History and Visitors Centre.
The museum will be an exciting addition to the ever-growing West Belfast cultural tourism infrastructure network. The new facility will provide access to a diverse range of archives, artefacts and collections reflecting Irish history down through the years.
Welcoming the funding, David McGivern from the Roddy McCorley Heritage Centre, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been a recipient of funding from the Whitemountain programme. This is a substantial investment which will allow us to incorporate disabled access into the state-of-art heritage centre currently under construction here in the heart of West Belfast.
“The new Heritage centre will lead to significant and sustainable job creation in the museum, heritage and hospitality sectors thanks to the investment of the Whitemountain Programme.”
The museum, which will incorporate a 140-seater restaurant on site, is due to open in June.
Ani Kanakaki, Groundwork Northern Ireland, which manages the Whitemountain Programme on behalf of Whitemountain, said: "We are very happy to support the Roddy McCorley Society. For the past 40 years the organisation has been a focal point of the history and culture of West Belfast and we hope that the new museum will be an important catalyst that will increase significantly tourism in the area.”
Edward Kearney, Whitemountain, added: “The Whitemountain Programme proudly supports worthwhile community projects such as the Roddy McCorley Society. The fact that the Society is focused on promoting culture and heritage, health and wellbeing, and social initiatives aligns with the aims of the Whitemountain Fund. The new museum will help to increase visitor numbers to the West Belfast area which in turn will have a positive effect on local businesses and the hospitality sector."
