Offaly Off We Go! with Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou at the Ploughing in Screggan

SINN FEIN leader, Mary Lou McDonald got a first hand insight into Offaly's tourism attractions and the small businesses that drive its economy on Thursday afternoon at the Ploughing in Screggan.

Accompanied by Tullamore based councillor, Aoife Masterson, who almost claimed a seat in last year's General Election, Mary Lou visited the Offaly Off We Go! marquee where she was formally welcomed by Offaly Tourism Officer, Olive Farrelly.

Mary Lou, Aoife and their entourage were taken on a whistlestop tour of the bustling marquee where Offaly Tourism launched their all new branding and revealed their exciting, new logo on Tuesday.
The new branding features a new tagline too for Offaly Tourism, Off we go!, as they encourage national and international visitors to explore all that the county has to offer. With something for everyone from nature lovers, golfers, shoppers, history buffs and more there really is a lot to discover in the county.
In recent times, Offaly Tourism has recorded an increase in visitor numbers for outdoor adventure activities, along with visits to Offaly’s rich heritage sites, including Clonmacnoise Monastic Site and Birr Castle Demesne.

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Tourism development within the county has accelerated in recent years with the success of the new Grand Canal Greenway and Mountain Bike Trails in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. More recent funding will see new developments in cycling and walking routes through Bord na Mona lands, the upgrade of Clonmacnoise Monastic Site and the iconic Outdoor Pool in Banagher. A new look website is to follow shortly to complete the rebranding project.

Speaking about the new branding, Olive Farrelly, Offaly Tourism Officer, commented, “We were thrilled to officially unveil our new branding here at The National Ploughing Championships. We have been working on it for quite some time and are delighted with the end result. It’s warm and inviting and captures the essence of Offaly. We look forward to continuing to promote all that our great county has to offer for visitors, both from overseas and from all across Ireland, there really is something suitable for everyone so Off we go!”

For further information on Offaly Tourism log onto www.visitoffaly.ie

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