Purple Flag Places -
ENNISKILLEN

Enniskillen, the only island town in Ireland, has a population of 13,585 and is the County town of Fermanagh. Enniskillen is the administrative centre and major shopping area, with an excellent mix of multinational and locally owned shops. The town has a thriving cross border tourist and retail trade and the Euro is very welcome. Enniskillen has won the "NI Amenity Council Best Kept Award for Large Towns" 6 times in the past nine years, and"“Ireland’s Best Kept Award for Large Towns", four times in the last seven years. The Arts are well established in the district and the Council’s Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen offers an interesting and varied programme. The Council also operates the Higher Bridges Art Gallery, situated in the centre of Enniskillen. The evening economy represents approx 30% of business interests within the town centre. There is a wide variety of pubs, restaurants and cafes, along with a Leisure Centre, Cinema, Theatre and various other venues. The town centre is compact and attractive, with a winding main street and views of the lake from many side streets. Enniskillen is famous for its pubs, including 'Blake's Of The Hollow, probably the oldest pub in Ireland.

The Assessors commended the local authority and vintners for supporting the CCTV system that quite clearly provided an extra tool for policing and provided the county town with an extra sense of public safety. Due to the previous troubles in Northern Ireland, Enniskillen had particular factors to overcome in this area. The focus of market research to date on Council performance has resulted in the development of a 'Good Relations Strategy'. The desire to deal with public perceptions is evident and Fermanagh District Council's Community Development Function promotes greater cohesion of the local community. The Council also has a very active tourist development team. The Assessors felt that his must be commended.

The Assessors and Accreditation Panel were particularly impressed by the Partnership working of the Council Office Departments and the Council Office Departments with the Police, FDPP, LVA and FCSP.

"We are delighted that Enniskillen, our County town, has been recognised as a quality evening destination and awarded a Purple Flag. Our evening and night time economy has always been an important aspect of our tourism product and the award of the Purple Flag will encourage everyone involved to develop and improve Enniskillen’s visitor experience"
Councillor Thomas O’Reilly, Chairman, Fermanagh District Council & Destination Tourism Partnership.

Centre Contact
Eddie McGovern
Tourist Development Officer
Fermanagh District Council
T: 02866 325050
E: Eddie.McGovern@fermanagh.gov.uk

Information Files:

Enniskellen Case Study
Filesize: 314 Kb