RDS Sustainable Rural Enterprise Award Runner Up 2020 - Castlecomer Discovery Park, Co. Kilkenny

The runner-up in the 2020 RDS Sustainable Rural Enterprise Award is Castlecomer Discovery Park, Co. Kilkenny.

Castlecomer Discovery Park is a social community enterprise operating on a not for profit basis.
Set in the former grounds of the Wandesforde Estate, Castlecomer Discovery Park comprises 80 acres of stunning natural woodland and lakes and began as a community project to rejuvenate the town of Castlecomer following the closure of the coal mines in 1969.

This relatively ‘young’ park opened to the public in 2007 with the launch of the Coal Mining Exhibition, Visitor Centre and Design Craft studios which are located in the former stable yard. The Park continues to evolve and is actively developing a range of exciting recreational, cultural and educational activities for visitors of all ages.

In 2019 the park attracted 144,000 visitors. The park has been a catalyst for the regeneration of Castlecomer and has created 26 full time equivalent jobs and provided training and career opportunities for those most at risk of long-term unemployment in the area.

The RDS has encouraged innovation and best practice in Irish agriculture since its foundation in 1731. The RDS Sustainable Agriculture Awards are a continuation of this tradition with a renewed focus on sustainability as Ireland tackles the climate change challenge over the next decade.