New Trim Tourist Walk

Launch of a new tourist walk in Trim yesterday - I was shopping in Dublin but I sent my reporter Paddy Smith - he has a bit of experience - and this is his report and his photographs:

Some classy-looking plaques have made their appearance at various points around the town recently and we learned yesterday (Friday) that they mark the 22 historic sites on a new tourist walk around Trim and its environs. The walk was officially launched by the Town Council Cathaoirleach, Ray Butler, at a pleasant ceremony in the Visitor Centre in the Town Hall. Tea and scones helped to make the occasion even more enjoyable, though it was a little too soon after lunch for me to partake with my normal enthusiasm.

Not all that many local dignitaries in attendance, which is a pity because it's little things like this that complete the jigsaw - a word used by several of the speakers at the opening. We had a representative from Failte Ireland, which put up a significant amount of the money that the whole venture cost. Some of this money went on printing an A4 map of the walk on good quality card-type paper, though I notice a small error; although St Patrick's Church and St Patrick's Cathedral are correctly marked on the map, a picture of St Patrick's Cathedral has the caption: St Patrick's Church. Tsk, tsk.

Noel French lived up to his description at the function as the eminent local historian by taking the small crowd on part of the walk and giving an entertaining and very wide-ranging little talk at each stop.

Two pictures of Noel conducting the walk, above at the bog oak sculpture of the Salmon of Knowledge by Oldcastle sculptor Joe Burns, with the Rowan Hamilton mathematical formula inscribed on it and below at Trim Castle.