New app will offer digital map and trail of Gougane Barra

By BRIAN MOORE

A PROJECT, entitled ‘Destination Gougane Barra’, is setting out to collect and digitise the rich heritage and culture of the tourist location.

Collecting the information is just the beginning of a bigger task, Neil Lucey of the Gougane Barra Hotel explained to The Southern Star.

‘There are so many interesting and beautiful heritage sites and stories associated with Gougane Barra and the surrounding area,’ Neil said. ‘And we want a way to share this with visitors and indeed the locals, so instead of printing a few leaflets, we decided to create a digital map of Gougane.’

The work will begin with the physical collecting of the data for the map, and then this will be compiled into an app, which can be downloaded by tourists before they visit.

‘We will begin with gathering the information on the heritage sites in the area,’ Neil continued. ‘Once this is completed the work begins on digitising the data so that we can create a heritage trail of the area.’

Using the activeme.ie website and app, Destination Gougane Barra will be able to provide a digital map of the area, complete with matching signage and literature. 

Destination Gougane Barra will also share the local stories and folklore to bring the history of the local area to life.

‘There is a lot of information and legends associated with this area and we want people to be able to get the most out of their visit,’ Neil said. ‘We want visitors to be able to plan their trip and to experience just a little of what Gougane Barra and the surrounding area has to offer before they even leave the comfort of their own homes. And that’s where the app comes in.’

A €5,000 grant from the Heritage Council of Ireland will help get the project underway. 

‘We are delighted with the positive support we have received from Cork County Council and the Heritage Council,’ Neil said. ‘We are only at the beginning of the project to create the heritage trail, but we know that with the support of the community we will provide visitors with an amazing resource and a fantastic experience.’