Derry's council may spend up to £400,000 on a project which could help cash in on the tourism potential of St Columba.
Details have emerged of a new ‘Connected Cultural Caminos’ project which would link religious sites across Europe.
Derry City and Strabane District Council has been asked to get involved in the project given the story of St Columba, the city’s patron saint.
The estimated cost of the overall project would be £2m, with the local council’s financial input being around £400,000.
Local councillors agreed this week to proceed with ‘scoping out’ how they would find the money to ensure Derry’s participation in the new religious project.
Details of the Connected Cultural Caminos project were discussed at a meeting of the council’s Business and Culture Committee in the Guildhall.
A council official told the meeting that the project had been put forward as part of the Special European Union Programmes Body’s Northern Periphery & Arctic Programme 2014-2020.
“Connected Cultural Caminos will focus on developing the economic potential of long distance routes which link sites of archaeological / historic significance.
“The economic benefits will accrue from developing culture and heritage-based experiential tourism packages along the routes.
“This will provide sustainable employment opportunities for Culture and Heritage practitioners as well as accommodation and food and drink providers.
“Within the UK and Ireland we will be using the Columba Trail (Slí Cholmcille) as our pilot.
“Project partners have mapped out 72 key sites across Derry, Donegal and Scotland on the theme of St Colmcille or Columba, a sixth century Irish-born saint.
“As the founder of the abbey of Iona, he was patron of a monastic foundation which embraced Ireland and Scotland and Northern England, and whose scholars served at the court of Charlemagne. He lives on in dedications, and in the folklore and legend of both Ireland and Scotland.”
The council official said they were keen to connect to European partners across the eligible area, which includes Scotland, France and Spain, who would like to get involved in the camino initiative.
“The project will build on the untapped tourism potential of the Camino by developing greater connectivity across the sole trader, micro and SME sector.
“It will lead to job creation and sustain existing jobs through product development and product diversification along the Camino routes.”
At this week’s meeting, councillors agreed to a recommendation that council officials take the local aspect of the project forward.
SDLP councillor John Boyle said it was a project with ‘great potential’.
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