Ireland’s ‘Hidden Heartlands’ Unveiled As The Next Big Tourist Destination

Planning a staycation this summer? Forget about swanning off to east Cork or the glamourous Galway… The midlands are where it’s at don’tcha know. 

Fáilte Ireland today unveiled ‘Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands’ as its latest new tourism brand – designed to boost tourism and drive visitor growth across the Midlands region and it’s expected to bring to life the Midland’s rich natural assets including its many lakes, walkways and blueways. 

It will also leverage a growing tourism trend for soft activities by encouraging visitors to be ‘active in nature’ and to explore the region off the beaten tracks through a range of activities including walking, food, cycling, fishing, and boating routes.

You can also try a section of the Beara Breifne Way, Ireland’s longest inland walking and cycling trail, following the route taken by Gaelic armies during the early 17th century.

Sounds riiiiight up our street…

Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands will cover the ‘heart’ of the country, from Leitrim down to East Clare and extending through Longford, Roscommon, East Galway, as well as parts of Westmeath, Cavan, North Tipperary and Offaly.

Speaking about how the new brand will help to drive growth across the region, Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, said:

“Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands has been developed after months of extensive market testing both here and overseas. The overwhelming feedback is that visitors from key markets want the opportunity to explore Ireland’s natural gems and rural communities. There is also a huge appetite out there for tourists to be active in nature through activities like walking, cycling, angling and boating routes – all of which the Midlands can offer in abundance.”

We’ll be keeping the Heartlands in mind for our holliers this year for sure. 

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