The longest intertwining family and thrill coasters in Europe have opened in the new Tír na nÓg area at Emerald Park in Ashbourne, County Meath.

Emerald Park (formerly Tayto Park) officially opened Tír na nÓg, its first fully themed and immersive land, on Tuesday, May 21. The 6.5 acre site includes two new thrill coasters ‘Na Fianna Force’ and ‘The Quest,' as well as the new wave swinger attraction 'The Celtic Dreamer.' 

Over 65 rollercoaster enthusiasts from around the world traveled to the Co. Meath park to be the first to experience the thrilling new coasters made by Dutch roller coaster specialist Vekoma Rides, reports RTÉ.

The opening of Tír na nÓg marks a substantial investment of €22 million at the theme park and zoo. In addition to the rides, the land includes new food outlets, retail spices and an entrance "that will create real excitement and wonder."

Named for the "land of eternal youth," the Irish mythology and fantasy themed area includes over 30 swords, 70 shields, 120 arrows, 70 spears and 15 bows hand crafted by local Blacksmith of the Boyne Valley, An Gobha, from Bohermeen, Navan, Co. Meath.

According to Emerald Park, over 500 mature native Irish tress will be planted across the site with a further 50,000 plants used to create a wild natural landscape, while over 400 tonnes of shotcrete and 2,400 tonnes of concrete were used to create various mythical themed towers and buildings across the land.

Leading design and production company Jora Vision worked on the theming strategy for the project, reports blocoloop.com.

"Embark into the otherworld full of mythical adventure, where nothing is quite as it seems. Discover ancient ruins, secret passages, and treasure troves around every corner.

"The magic of Tír na nÓg awaits your arrival. Step through the gates…"

OPEN TOMORROW!??

Get ready to embark into the mystical otherworld of Tír na nÓg where nothing is quite as it seems✨

Book tickets now through the link in our bio ? pic.twitter.com/fRhd2zUaTU

— Emerald Park (@emeraldparkirl) May 21, 2024

This seven-year project stands as a testament to the vision of Emerald Park’s late founder, Raymond Coyle, embodying his "unwavering commitment to innovation and creating a theme park and zoo that would compete with its international counterparts."

Charles Coyle, General Manager of Emerald Park, said: "We are thrilled to unveil Tír Na nÓg after seven years of dedicated work and innovation. This new addition to Emerald Park is not only our commitment to creating unparalleled experiences but also a landmark in amusement park attractions with Europe's longest intertwining coasters right here in Ashbourne, Co. Meath.

"The opening is a testament to the enduring legacy of my late father and founder of Emerald Park, Raymond Coyle who I know would be so proud of our team today and would have enjoyed all the madness and fun of our opening day. We look forward to welcoming guests to explore and immerse themselves in the magic of our first immersive land – Tír Na nÓg."

'Na Fianna Force,' the largest of the two rollercoasters, is described as a "suspended thrill coaster."  It is a 750 meter-long ride, reaching speeds of up to 90km/h. Its highest track point is 32 meters.

It is intertwined with the 'The Quest' coaster, which is described as a "family boomerang rollercoaster." With a track length of 450m, this smaller coaster travels up to 60km/h and to heights of 25m.

The rollercoasters feature five inversions which take the rider upside down.

In addition to the two new coasters, is the 56-seater wave swinger attraction ‘The Celtic Dreamer,' themed after the Irish legend, Children of Lir.

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.EmeraldPark.ie.