Emerald Park

Emerald Park is an amusement park and zoo in Kilbrew, County Meath, approximately 25 kilometres northwest of Dublin. The attraction occupies about 22 hectares of former farmland and operates as a major paid visitor destination for the Irish market. It combines theme-park rides, family entertainment, playgrounds, educational animal exhibits and conservation-oriented zoo facilities within one site. The park opened on 24 November 2010 under the name Tayto Park. Its creation was associated with Raymond Coyle, an entrepreneur and potato farmer who founded Largo Foods and acquired the Tayto crisp brand. The original concept connected a visitor attraction with Tayto’s nearby manufacturing operation, giving the park a distinctly Irish commercial identity while using an American-style amusement-park model. An initial investment of €8.5 million was used to develop the site, which was designed by Stewart and Sinnott Architects, landscape professional Anthony Ryan and designer Milo Fitzgerald. In its earliest form, the attraction was relatively small and concentrated on the zoo and playgrounds; rides and more elaborate amusement facilities were added progressively. During the Tayto Park period, the site developed from a zoo-led family attraction into a fuller amusement park. Its offering came to include permanent roller coasters, thrill rides, junior rides, adventure play areas, a maze, seasonal entertainment, a 5D cinema, arts and crafts, magic shows and face painting. It is notable for having the only permanent roller coasters in the Republic of Ireland. The park also introduced larger attractions intended to broaden its appeal beyond young children, while retaining a substantial junior and family-oriented offer. The zoo remains an important part of the visitor proposition. It is accredited by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. Its collection includes big cats, primates, exotic birds, rare breeds of farm animals and native Irish birds of prey. Visitor-facing experiences include a petting farm, a free-flying raptor presentation known as the World of Raptors and a Lemur Walk. The zoo presents conservation education and research as part of its role, and entry to the zoo is included with admission to the wider park. Tayto Park attracted approximately 750,000 visitors in 2015 and was identified as Ireland’s sixth most popular paid attraction at that time. The park also offered visitors the opportunity to tour the adjacent crisp factory on selected days, reinforcing the original connection between the attraction and the Tayto brand. In February 2022, Tayto Snacks, by then owned by the German food company Intersnack, confirmed that its sponsorship agreement with the park would not be renewed. The park announced on 29 September 2022 that it would adopt the name Emerald Park from 1 January 2023. The new name refers to Ireland’s familiar “Emerald Isle” epithet and allowed the attraction to establish an independent identity after the end of the Tayto sponsorship. The rebrand changed the public-facing name while preserving the underlying amusement-park and zoo operation. The park subsequently expanded its themed entertainment offer. On 22 May 2024 it opened Tír na nÓg, an area inspired by Celtic mythology. The development included plans for two Vekoma roller coasters: a suspended thrill coaster and a family boomerang. Emerald Park therefore continues to position itself as a domestic destination combining Irish cultural themes, family recreation, animal conservation and increasingly substantial amusement rides.

Emerald Park began as Tayto Park, an attraction developed in County Meath by Raymond Coyle, the founder of Largo Foods and the owner associated with the Irish Tayto crisp brand. The project transformed approximately 22 hectares of farmland at Kilbrew into an American-style amusement park and zoo. It opened on 24 November 2010 after an €8.5 million investment. The design team included Stewart and Sinnott Architects, landscape professional Anthony Ryan and designer Milo Fitzgerald. The original attraction was more modest than the present park. Its principal components were a zoo, playgrounds and family-oriented visitor facilities. Over time, additional rides were introduced, moving the site toward a combined zoo and amusement-park model. This development included permanent roller coasters, thrill rides, junior attractions and a range of indoor and outdoor family activities. The park became notable as the home of the only permanent roller coasters in the Republic of Ireland. The Tayto identity was central to the park’s early positioning. Tayto’s factory stood next to the attraction, and visitors could tour the factory on selected days. The brand connection gave the park a distinctive Irish food-and-leisure association, although the park’s attractions increasingly developed an identity of their own. By 2015, the site was attracting around 750,000 visitors and was ranked as Ireland’s sixth most popular paid attraction. The zoo remained a core component during the park’s expansion. Its animal collection included big cats, primates, exotic birds, rare farm breeds and native Irish birds of prey. Accreditation by BIAZA and EAZA supported its role in animal management, conservation education and research. The park also created public experiences such as a petting farm, a free-flight raptor display and a walk-through lemur enclosure. The relationship with Tayto changed after Tayto Snacks became part of the German Intersnack group. In February 2022, Tayto Snacks confirmed that it would not renew its sponsorship arrangement with the park. On 29 September of the same year, the operator announced that the attraction would be renamed Emerald Park from 1 January 2023. The name invokes Ireland’s Emerald Isle nickname and represents a shift from a packaged-food sponsorship identity to a standalone leisure brand. Following the rebrand, the park continued to expand its themed attractions. Tír na nÓg opened on 22 May 2024, drawing on Celtic mythology and incorporating plans for two Vekoma roller coasters: a suspended thrill coaster and a family boomerang. Emerald Park’s development consequently combines three continuing strands: an Irish-themed visitor identity, a broad family entertainment offer and a zoo with conservation and educational functions. Minor safety incidents and related legal claims have also formed part of the park’s public record, including injuries connected with the former Tayto’s Twister slide and the 2016 collapse of a staircase in a Halloween attraction.

• 2024

  Tír na nÓg opens

  [1]Emerald Parken.wikipedia.org

  The Celtic mythology-themed area opened on 22 May with a major planned coaster development.

• 2023

  Emerald Park name takes effect

  [1]Emerald Parken.wikipedia.org

  The attraction began operating under the Emerald Park identity from 1 January.

• 2022

  Independent rebrand announced

  [1]Emerald Parken.wikipedia.org

  The park announced that it would leave the Tayto Park name and become Emerald Park at the start of 2023.

• 2016

  House of Horrors staircase collapse

  [1]Emerald Parken.wikipedia.org

  A staircase in a Halloween attraction collapsed and injured nine people.

• 2015

  Visitor attendance reaches approximately 750,000

  [1]Emerald Parken.wikipedia.org

  The park was reported as Ireland’s sixth most popular paid attraction, with approximately 750,000 visitors.

• 2012

  Tayto’s Twister employee injury

  [1]Emerald Parken.wikipedia.org

  A former employee was injured while testing the Tayto’s Twister slide before its public opening.

• 2010

  Tayto Park opens

  [1]Emerald Parken.wikipedia.org

  The park opened on 24 November in Kilbrew, County Meath, with a zoo, playgrounds and an initial group of visitor attractions.

A large Irish family-leisure destination combining amusement-park thrills, themed attractions and a conservation-oriented zoo, with a strong emphasis on domestic tourism and all-ages entertainment.

• Zoo and conservation attraction · 2010

  Emerald Park Zoo

  The zoo is integrated into the park admission and houses a varied collection including big cats, primates, exotic birds, rare breeds of farm animals and native Irish birds of prey. It is accredited by BIAZA and EAZA and emphasizes conservation education and research. Public experiences include a petting farm, the World of Raptors free-flying display and a Lemur Walk through an enclosure.

• Theme-park rides

  Roller coasters

  Emerald Park’s coaster portfolio forms a central part of its transition from a small zoo and family attraction into a full amusement park. The park is notable for having the only permanent roller coasters in the Republic of Ireland, providing a higher-intensity offer alongside its junior and family rides.

• Children’s rides

  Junior Zone

  The Junior Zone provides rides and experiences for younger visitors, including a 10-metre Zamperla drop tower, a steam train, a Nissan-manufactured driving experience, a spinning coaster, a non-water spinning boat and a Zamperla leaping ride.

• Themed area · 2024

  Tír na nÓg

  Tír na nÓg is a themed area based on Celtic mythology. It opened in May 2024 and was planned around two Vekoma coaster models: a suspended thrill coaster and a family boomerang, broadening the park’s Irish-themed and high-capacity ride offer.

• Family leisure

  Family attractions and entertainment

  The wider attraction includes adventure playgrounds, smaller play areas, a maze, a 5D cinema, arts and crafts, magic shows, face painting and a circus tent. These facilities complement the larger rides and zoo by giving younger children and families activities that do not depend on thrill-ride access.

• 2024

  Launch of Tír na nÓgProduct launch

  Background

  Emerald Park continued its development as a combined Irish-themed amusement park and zoo.

  Action taken

  The park opened Tír na nÓg, a Celtic mythology-themed area, with plans centered on suspended-thrill and family-boomerang roller coasters from Vekoma.

  Aftermath

  The expansion added a major themed zone and strengthened the park’s range of coaster and family attractions.

  Source

• 2022

  Rebrand from Tayto Park to Emerald ParkStrategy

  Background

  Tayto Snacks, which had become part of Intersnack, confirmed that its sponsorship agreement with the attraction would not be renewed.

  Action taken

  The operator announced a new name, Emerald Park, to take effect on 1 January 2023. The name draws on Ireland’s Emerald Isle nickname.

  Aftermath

  The park continued operating as an amusement park and zoo under a standalone leisure identity rather than the Tayto-sponsored name.

  Source

1. 1Emerald Parken.wikipedia.org
2. 2Emerald Park official websitetaytopark.ie