Dundalk IT researcher explores music tourism potential in Carlingford

Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) researcher and Government of Ireland scholar Leandro Pessina has published an article examining the potential for the development of music tourism in Carlingford, Co. Louth.

A member of the Creative Arts Research Centre at DkIT, Leandro is supervised by Dr Daithí Kearney (DkIT) and Dr Ioannis Tsioulakis (Queen’s University, Belfast) and has recently completed an innovative study into music and tourism in the region.

Leandro’s research recognises how music contributes to the promotion of places, destinations and cultures, and is a fundamental element of local branding strategies, helping communities and places to express uniqueness. In this article, Leandro focuses on the village of Carlingford, with a particular emphasis on Carlingford Heritage Centre’s Concert Series and Féile na Tána, two Irish traditional music initiatives curated by the local musicians Zoë Conway and John McIntyre.

These small-scale events offer niche tourism opportunities connected to education through which local music and its practitioners may contribute to strengthening the image of the destination.

Integrating reflections on fieldwork experiences as well as interviews with local stakeholders, the article recognises music as a significant attraction, providing input to improve current tourism development plans, such as the Ireland’s Ancient East Regional Tourism Development Strategy 2023-2027.

Leandro’s article is published by Taylor and Francis in the Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change and places this local study alongside a range of international scholarship and case studies. Other featured articles include the use of interactive technology and storytelling for digital heritage in the Netherlands, narrative constructions of Barbados’ UNESCO World Heritage Site, sugar heritage and cultural representation in Javanese urban spaces, and gender equality in the tourism sector in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Read Next: Unlicensed and uninsured HGV driver stopped in Dundalk garda operation

A musician, Leandro tours internationally with the acclaimed Folk Metal Band Aexylium and is currently Promotions Executive with the Business Incubator of the Technology Transfer for the University of Turin. While in Dundalk, Leandro was a member of the Oriel Traditional Orchestra, an ensemble-in-residence at DkIT, and contributed to a variety of musical activities in the region.

Learn more about Leandro’s research here