Saturday, January 9, 2010

Opportunity to Tap Into Diaspora for Waterford?


Of late, what with the quiet Christmas period and the icy roads, I have been spending some time searching through the 1911 Census of Ireland which is online and very easily searchable. Firstly, it is a fascinating thing to see your ancestors hand-writing, signatures, occupations, infirmities, relations, addresses, living details, literacy etc. all detailed in black and white. And if nothing else it certainly confirms how much of a mere link in a chain we all are.
Above is a part of the census return that I found for my maternal grandfather, William Walshe, who lived at the time (April 1911) aged just three in 2 Manor Street (The Manor House), now Peigs, with his parents and brothers and sisters. He was the baby of the family. But of even more interest is that after seeing this and asking my mum some questions, with the help of Facebook I have now tracked down and made contact with what I can only describe as an entire arm of the family across in the Southern United States, to where my Grandfathers elder brother Laurence emigrated during the '60's and with whom, by and large we had lost contact! There are first and second cousins out there in South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and more places, many of whom I interact with daily now thanks to technology! There are still many more to find and it is a most interesting an gratifying task!
Many, of course, express a desire to visit Ireland one day. Therein lies a huge opportunity. With the development later this year of the new manufacturing and visitor centre for Waterford Crystal right in the heart of our city, I believe a demand exists for a Museum of the Diaspora. Waterford Crystal, marketed the right way, would certainly be amongst the most visited of Irish attractions by 'foreign' tourists - as opposed to say tourist attractions like Dublin Zoo, which is mostly visited by Irish 'tourists'. Certainly as far as American tourists are concerned this would be the case. Surely the opportunity exists to capitalise on their visits here, with a museum where they could search out and discover their family histories?
The museum could detail the Irish Diaspora all over the world, from Argentina to Australia, Newfoundland to New Guinea and would, I'm convinced, be a major attraction for visitors - and indeed Irish people, to visit for research, information, just for fun or to get started on your family tree. Searching out your ancestors has never been more popular - with the advent of TV programmes such as 'Who Do You Think You Are?'
I could envisage this type of Museum - although museum is probably not the right word - being extremely popular. A major part of the attraction could also detail the many amongst the Irish Diaspora who have achieved high honour in their adopted Country. Think of American Presidents, for example. There would be a plethora of material for this type of project and it could be tailored to attract people from, quite literally, all over the world.
And with a huge number of tourists already coming into Waterford to visit Waterford Crystal, this project - or a similar one - could really underpin our importance on the visitor itinerary.
Perhaps this is the type of project that someone in the private sector might see as presenting opportunities? I am sure that there would be support at a National level for this type of venture - particularly if private investment were forthcoming. I am aware that City resources are already stretched and committed to delivering the crystal and other facilities.
I have said it before and I say it again. I entreat the private sector to come on board and support and even piggy-back on the initiative that the City Council is delivering with the development of the new Waterford Crystal manufacturing and visitor centre on The Mall.
If we don't capitalise on that opportunity and those presented by new motorways etc., to develop new industry and opportunity, then more's the pity for us. And tourism is one hell of an industry. Waterford has much more to offer. Why not develop it?

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