Book of Kells puts zoo into second place as attraction

DUBLIN ZOO was knocked off its perch last year as Ireland's most popular fee paying attraction. The Book of Kells at Trinity College, Dublin now has that honour, with just over 400,000 visitors, some 15,000 more than the zoo.

Visitor numbers at the zoo dropped by just under 85,000 to 387,640 in 1995.

The meeting itself was remarkable for its brevity and lack of acrimony, unlike previous years. Not a single question was asked at the event in the zoo, which lasted less than half an hour, as the report and financial statement were adopted without demur.

The 35 people present out of a total membership of 7,500 heard the zoo's losses for last year were, Pounds 165,000, but the society's treasurer, Mr Michael O'Grady, is confident the zoo is close to breaking even.

Operating income was down Pounds 266,000 last year to Pounds 1,702,000 but thenegotiation and implementation of an early retirement/ voluntary redundancy scheme and new work practices resulted in a drop in wages costs of Pounds 289,000.

At the meeting, the chairman of the committee responsible for implementing the zoo's controversial development plan was appointed president of the society. Mr Joseph McCullough, a member of the zoo's council for the past 26 years, succeeds Professor David McConnell, who is retiring.

Prof McConnell said the zoo had to make progress in the completion of its Pounds 15 million development plan, in getting its finances into order and in fighting a major PR battle" to show that the zoo's function was a worthy one.