This Pride of Place tour reflects the many hands and hearts that make Carrick vibrant. Through oral stories, entrepreneurial sparks, local voices, and shared traditions, we have built something powerful - not just for visitors, but for each other.

📍 STOP 1, Part 1: Heritage Centre – "Our Story So Far"

Theme: Our Story So Far & Where We’re Going
Key Pillars: Legacy of Volunteering| Generational Stewardship | Community Engagement | Cultural Preservation | Sustainability

Project Summary: “Tides of Time “ is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund.

What you see today is the result of over thirty years of quiet, determined voluntary effort,  a community that laid the foundations before the spotlight ever found it.

“Tides of Time” Open in May 2026 – is a brand new visitor facility is currently under development at the former Protestant church and heritage centre. The experience will explore Carrick-on-Suir’s golden age of Big Houses and local industries through the eyes of 18th Century local writer Dorothea Herbert. The exhibition will include unique artefacts and stories told through exciting technologies and imaginative displays,  serving as a platform to promote further exploration of the town and its hinterland. The former church will also host the never seen before Writer Michael Coady room and collection of books, photographs, oral history andmemorabilia.

The visitor centre will also include a café, book and gift shop, a performance area, and multi-function community space.

Fun Fact: Michael Coady’s desk will be reconstructed where one day we will host a writer in residence.

Quest Idea: “Find Dorothea Herbert's Grave.”

📍 STOP 1, Part 2: - Explore Carrick-on-Suir Quest Map

Theme: Walk the Story – Connecting People, Places & Pride
Key Pillars: Creativity | Inclusion | Digital Innovation | Place-Based Economics | Community Tourism

Talking Point: Quest Map Collaboration

Explore Carrick-on-Suir contacted and engaged each point on the Quest Map to foster meaningful collaboration. From cultural institutions to sporting clubs, heritage landmarks to natural trails, every stop was encouraged to participate in a shared mission: to increase footfall, extend visitor engagement, and bring Carrick’s living story to life.

 Project Summary:

The Quest Map  is a digital and physical storytelling tool. It was created by Explore Carrick-on-Suir to connect people with places, stories, and experiences in a way that’s personal and dynamic. It’s a living narrative, adaptable in real time to every visitor’s  journey and availablity.  The Quest Map is supported by custom made technology and infrastructure to grow.

Fun Fact: Our next chapter? An Emigration Quest tracing the journey of many locals from Carrick-on-Suir to Newfoundland, weaving new links between past and present through engaging challenges and cultural exploration.

Quest Idea: “Take a picture of a decorated shop front for the ‘Get Your Bikes Out’ initiative promoting the Home of Irish Cycling and tag @ExploreCarrickonSuir.”

📍 STOP 2, Part 1–4: Main Street – Placemaking & L’Étape Animation

Theme: Reclaiming Our Streets through Events & Imagination
Key Pillars: Placemaking | Community Ownership | Vibrancy | Dwelling Time

Highlights:

• Tour de France-style community activation
• Stop at Meany’s Shoes – Oral Storytelling location
• Lazy Cow & Tudor Arts Hub – Community pride venues
• OK Cycles – Intergenerational cycling legacy

Project Summary: “Get Your Bikes Out”

As Ireland’s “Home of Irish Cycling,” Carrick-on-Suir is proudly hosting the L’Étape Tour de France on 27th & 28th September, with nearly 2,000 cyclists enrolled. In the lead-up, we launched Get Your Bikes Out,  a town-wide activation celebrating our unique sporting heritage and sense of place. Businesses, sports clubs, and community groups were invited to decorate bicycles and shopfronts, transforming the town into a vibrant, participatory trail. It’s a powerful example of Carrick-on-Suir’s creative character and our commitment to community-led placemaking through sport, culture, and storytelling.

Fun Fact: Meany’s Shoes has served generations dating back to shoemakers of the 18th century. We are stepping into the story on September 18th where the community and retired staff will share stories from its past. Part 2 Oral Storytelling Sessions archive we’re building for The Tides of Time Exhibition at the Heritage centre.

Quest Idea: “Find a shop that’s older than you. Snap a pic and reflect on what’s changed. Share with #ExploreCarrickonSuir.”

📍 STOP 3, Part 1: Ormond Castle – Historic Anchor for Modern Events

Theme: A Historic Anchor for Modern Festivals and Events
Key Pillars: Heritage | Cultural Identity | Collaboration & Events | Place Making | Community Engagement | Tourism Development

Talking Points:

• Heritage Week, Tractors & Tudors, 3 County Hinterland festival, Ormond Castle Markets
• OPW Collaboration, Special Olympics, Vendors, Tipp C.C,
• Private High End Events out of season to elevate
• Unique Cultural events in Castle: storytelling, music, mapping with Maynooth University

Project Summary:
Ormond Castle has been reimagined as a community event hub for festivals, oral storytelling, markets, and educational initiatives – including university collaborations and heritage activation.

Fun Fact: Ormond Castle is rumoured to be the birthplace of Anne Boleyn. Quest Idea: “Spot the tower where the 16th-century manor meets 21st-century festivals.”

📍 STOP 3, Part 2: Comeragh College – Youth Empowerment

Theme: Empowering Youth to Build the Future
Key Pillars: Youth Empowerment | Innovation | Self-Belief

Project Summary:
The “Journey of an Idea” Student Entrepreneurial Programme offers a €25,000 bursary over 5 years, fostering innovation, teamwork, and real-world problem solving among 2nd-level students across 3 schools.

Fun Fact: One student’s business now supplies local sports clubs and features in a national retailer’s shopfront. Quest Idea: “What’s your big idea? Share one with the student team.”

📍 STOP 4, Part 1–2: Biodiversity Trail – Bog Field & Quays Mural

Theme: Sustainability – Voluntary Community Making a Difference
Key Pillars: Ecological Awareness | Creative Placemaking | Diaspora Links

Project Summary:
The “Tides of Time” mural project and biodiversity trail transform underutilised riverbank spaces into engaging, eco-conscious destinations linking heritage, migration, and international connection.

Fun Fact: The mural wall was once a boatbuilding hub and emigration departure point. Quest Idea: “What’s on top of the town clock? How has the river’s role changed in 200 years?”

📍 STOP 5: Old Bridge to Sean Healy Park – Bridging Communities

Theme: Nature and Tourism Without Borders
Key Pillars: Hinterland Connections | Natural Storytelling | County Collaboration

Project Summary:
Explore Carrick-on-Suir through the Quest Map initiative promotes place-making without borders, clustering attractions across Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Waterford using the Quest Map to connect stories and landscapes through community voices.

Fun Fact: This was the first bridge built across the River Suir. Quest Idea: “Write a one-line legend for the River Suir while crossing the bridge.”

📍 STOP 6: Sean Healy Park – Futureproofing with Nature

Theme: The River as Lifeline – Blueway & Greenway Futures
Key Pillars: Health & Wellbeing | Nature-Based Tourism | Accessibility

Project Summary:
Sean Healy Park is the convergence of Blueway and Greenway routes, integrating art, wellness tourism, and inclusive public spaces rooted in heritage and future-focused development.

Fun Fact: Maurice Davin, Ireland’s first GAA president, Olympian and Fisherman trained and worked here. The Blueway now carries his legacy forward. Quest Idea: “Sit. Listen. Name three things you hear.”

📍 STOP 7: Dove Hill – Final Stop & Lunch

Theme: Retail & Tourism Clusters in Partnership
Key Pillars: Collaboration | Tourism Growth | Creative Marketing

Project Summary:
Dove Hill is the first shopping destination in Ireland to integrate Quest Map tourism decals, designed by students to visually animate retail space and link footfall to heritage and creativity.

Fun Fact: This was the first shopping centre in Ireland to display a tourism quest in its windows.

Quest Idea: “Find the Quest Map window.”