INVESTMENT IN THE Magazine Fort in Phoenix Park has been announced by Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan in order to conserve the site and improve its visitor facilities.

O’Donovan today announced the investment of funding for the restoration and upgrade of Magazine Fort. The Office of Public Works has detailed that there are plans underway to open a new interactive visitor experience at the site with the aim of highlighting the military history of the fort.

Speaking at the Magazine Fort, Minister O’Donovan said: “The OPW and I are dedicated to improving both accessibility to and the visitor experience in the Park, which I regard as an important national amenity.

Visiting military sites and buildings is an increasingly popular segment of the international tourism market and the investment proposed will contribute to the State’s tourism offering.

“With the proposed project, we will support the care and conservation of our national heritage estate and enhance the visitor infrastructure on site and in the Phoenix Park,” he added.

Proposed upgrades to the fort include the conservation of its structure, the construction of sound and light installations as well as the development of a visitor walk.

The upgrade and refurbishment of the Magazine Fort will create a new tourist attraction in Phoenix Park and will include a retelling of the history of the fort.

The Magazine Fort, located in Phoenix park is the major surviving Magazine Fort in Ireland. Construction of the fort began in 1734, its strategic position meant it was the ideal location for military purposes.

The fort is thought to have been used for three centuries and was built for the storage of gunpowder and ammunition for the British forces. It was managed by the Military Authorities until 1988 when it was decommissioned.

Taken over by the Irish Defence Forces in 1922 after the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the site was demilitarised in the 1980s and slowly fell into disrepair.

Since the 1916 centenary events in 2016, the fort has been opened in a limited capacity for tours between April and September.