Durrow Village is a small picturesque heritage town on the N8, the main road between Dublin and Cork. From the time of Bianconi carriages it has benefited from its model location between Irelands two main cities. However it will soon join the increasing number of small towns across the country who will be bypassed by a motorway. Local businesses benefit considerably from the passing trade and their fear of the impact of the new motorway on their trade is understandable. However Durrow’s greatest asset is not its location but its people and the town is fortunate to have an active and energetic development committee who continually strive to promote the village and to make sure it remains as a great place to live and work.

To tackle the impending reduction in through traffic business they decided to put their town on another highway, the virtual super-highway that is Google Earth. They asked 3D visualisation experts RealSIM to model their town and upload the models on to Google Earth. Durrow is the only town in Laois on Google Earth in 3D and one of the few in Ireland to be represented in such detail on the world renowned online 3D Globe. Potential visitors from all over the world can now virtually walk down the streets of Durrow and around its attractive Green which will hopefully encourage visitors to come and see and experience this beautiful Village for themselves. A movie of the proposed parking changes around the green can be seen on adjacent movie.

INFOMAR is a joint venture between the Geological Survey of Ireland and the Marine Institute and is the successor to the Irish National Seabed Survey. RealSIM in collaboration with Dr. Colin Brown, director of the Martin Ryan Institute at NUI Galway, were recently awarded a 28k grant from Infomar to create realistic, dynamic virtual marine environments. This will be achieved by compiling seabed survey data into a high-end interactive 3D visualisation platform with real-world physics simulation. The project will focus on Galway Bay and will feed into the myriad of technologies being developed for Smart Bay. SmartBay Galway is a national research infrastructure project. It comprises of a network of buoys, seafloor cables and other infrastructure, supporting a range of sensors, information systems, telemetry and other communication technologies.

Galway City Councillors were treated to an interactive 3D virtual Galway presentation as part of Galway Harbour Company's consultation with elected representatives on their ambitious plans for a new harbour for the city. Indeed this was the first time an interactive 3D model has been presented to any city or county council in Ireland, marking it out as a special occasion.

The presentation was given by Harbour CEO Eamon Bradshaw and Harbour Master Brian Sheridan, assisted by RealSIM director Gavin Duffy who controlled the navigation through the virtual Galway model and its associated new harbour. Given the reaction of all the councillors, Galway Harbour Company's decision to embark on using RealSIM's modelling and simulation service and technology has proven a very wise one. The city's representatives overwhelmingly backed the plan with one city councillor describing the presentation as ‘the best presentation I have seen in my 10 years in office'.

Gavin was able to bring councillors anywhere within the virtual Galway model there and then to show them how the proposed new harbour would look. Councillors and city officials have never before had the ability to assess proposals to the built environment with such immediacy and objectivity and it was clearly appreciated by all who attended. Galway Harbour Company were congratulated on the quality of their presentation and their openness and willingness to consult with all stakeholders in the city, with one councillor expressing a wish that other parties with significant development proposals in the city would follow their example.

You can see a sample of the proposed Galway Harbour in 2020 by clicking on the adjacent movie.

Noel Dempsey, Minister for Transport, recently sat in on a Galway Harbour Company Board meeting to hear of the boards ambitious plans for a new port and marina facility for Galway. The proposed new harbour will be able to cater for large cruise ships, will have a new marina, an expanded Enterprise park and will enable the complete removal of all oil tanks from their current location to a safer facility away from the city.  The board presented RealSIM’s interactive 3D model of the futuristic plans which enabled the Minister to virtually travel around the proposed new facility and see it in context to the existing docks and city surroundings.  Harbour Master Brian Sheridan reported that the Minister was ‘extremely impressed with our vision and our innovative use of advanced realtime 3D simulation technology’ and described it as ‘a great example of the Smart Economy’.

RealSIM have been commissioned to virtually build Galway Harbour Company’s proposed new Harbour to help communicate their plans with planning officials, elected representatives and the general public.  As the finer details of the harbour are still be ironed out, the model will also be used as an important design assessment and communication tool for consultation with engineers, architects and future tenants of the harbour.  Galway Harbour Master Brian Sheridan has told RealSIM that

“The simulation is just what we need to move the port plan forward. I see real value in using your service and technology in helping us communicate our plans with all the stakeholders in the city.  We have a few presentations to make to the city council, county council and other bodies later this year and your modelling will be key to this.  I think you have a great product.  Well done.”

RealSIM will model the proposed new harbour and insert it into the existing Galway 3D model (see adjacent image) to allow stakeholders see the new harbour in its environmental context. 

Laois County Council has commissioned RealSIM to model their proposed enhancements to The Green and associated roads and paths in the picturesque village of Durrow. Durrow is on the main Dublin – Cork road close to the Kilkenny border. At present there are numerous roads criss-crossing the small village with only limited well defined parking spaces. The council is proposing to reduce the number of roads cutting through the green, to establish proper parking spaces, to install proper bus stops and to add more trees and seating areas to the Green.

RTE recently broadcast the second of their two part ‘Secrets of the Stones' documentary series, which deals with the arrival and establishment of Christianity in Ireland.  RealSIM played an important role in the programme as we brought back to life 3 of the ancient sites profiled; Caherlahillan in South Kerry, claimed to be the first evidence of Christianity in Ireland and controversially pre-dates St. Patricks arrival, Clonmacnoise in Co. Offaly and Mellifont Abbey in Co.Louth.  RealSIM chief graphic designer Eoghan Quigley modelled the Caherlahillan and Clonmacnoise sites, Mellifont Abbey was brought back to life by Santiago de Santos and photography was supplied by Gavin Duffy.  You can see a short section of the documentary by clicking the link below.

Programme time constraints limited the time given to the visualisations in the programme.  RealSIM have modelled significantly more than was shown in the tv series so if anybody is keen to see and hear more on any of the 3 sites we modelled then please email gavin@realsim.ie and we can furnish you with additional stills and animations.

If you missed the programme you can see it in full on the RTE website at http://www.rte.ie/tv/secretsofthestones/watch.html. Just click on ‘Watch Episode 2'.  Unfortunately this cannot be seen by internet users outside of Ireland.

Picture shows Gavin Duffy, RealSIM, (centre) presenting the first draft of the Caherlahillan early Christian site to expert archaeologists Tomas O' Carragain (left) and John Sheehan (right)

GeoDATA is a highly successful one-day seminar series offering a unique chance to hear thought-provoking presentations on a wide range of issues facing users of geographic information.

This year's programme content focuses on data sharing including technology advances, collecting data, accessing information and spatial communication.

GeoDATA 2009 is FREE for delegates to attend and provides the opportunity to learn from leading technology specialists. It is a valuable training experience for both new and existing spatial data users.

Please download the pdf below to see a list of the presentations.