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PLANNING APPLICATION PREPARED FOR £8.5m. MAYO FOLKLIFE MUSEUM By Tom Kelly WORK ON the £8.5m. transformation of Turlough Park House into one of Ireland's leading and most impressive tourism amenities is scheduled to start early next year. The Office of Public Works has prepared the necessary documentation in order to apply for planning permission for the proposed works which will include the building of a National Folklife Museum. It is envisaged that the planning application will be lodged within the next three months. Providing permission is granted, work will start on the site at the beginning of 1999 and be completed by the end of that year. The facility will then be fitted out for exhibition purposes and should be open to the public in the first half of the year 2000. The centre has been selected to house the National Museum's Folklife Collection comprising of approximately 45,000 artifacts which have been in storage for many years due to a severe shortage of exhibition space. Most of the material, consisting of numerous artifacts exemplifying rural life and traditions, has been unseen to date by the general public. A detailed report regarding the current position of Turlough Park House was given to Senator Paddy Burke by Ms. Sile DeValera, Minister for the Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, during a debate in the Seanad. She said the recent approval of the appointment of a project manager to oversee the work at Turlough on behalf of the National Museum was an indication of the level of commitment and seriousness with which the Government viewed the project. Ms. DeValera added the £3m. funding which Mayo County Council was providing to the facility was 'demonstrable evidence of the tangible economic benefits expected to be generated in the area.' Senator Burke said it was estimated that over 200,000 people would visit Turlough Folk Park annually, establishing the centre as flagship for Mayo County Council which was investing heavily in the project. "This is tremendous news for the county and the input of former Government Minister Mr. Enda Kenny and Mayo County Manager, Mr. Des Mahon, cannot be underestimated." In inviting the Minister to visit the site, Senator Burke underlined the need for the sewerage scheme in the village to be upgraded as part of the overall plan.
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