21 May 2024
Europe's largest intertwining rollercoaster is being opened in Co Meath.
The development at Emerald Park in Ashbourne is part of a €22 million investment in the theme park, which will create 60 new jobs.
The rides known as 'Na Fianna Force' and 'The Quest' are intertwining family and thrill coasters which along with another new ride called 'The Celtic Dreamer' form part a new 6.5-acre section of the park called 'TÃr Na nÓg' which has been themed with material made by local blacksmiths in the Boyne Valley.
Sixty-five rollercoaster enthusiasts from around the world will sample the new rides when they open later this morning.
The project, which has taken seven years to complete, was started by the later founder of the park Raymond Coyle.
His son and current Managing Director of Emerald Park, Charles Coyle, said the development was a landmark in amusement park attractions and was a testament to his father’s enduring legacy.
Opened 14 years ago, Emerald Park employs 150 full-time and 600 seasonal staff in Co Meath.
The coasters were engineered and designed by a Dutch manufacturing company, Vekoma, who are a major supplier for The Walt Disney Company.
'Na Fianna Force' which is described as a "suspended thrill coaster", is the largest of the two new coasters, reaching heights of 32 metres and speeds of up to 90km/h.
The 750 metre-long ride also features five inversions which take rider upside down such.
'The Quest' coaster, which it is intertwined with, is described as a "family boomerang rollercoaster" that travels up to 60km/h and to heights of 25m.