PLANS for a €12 million distillery and visitor centre at Slane Castle in Co Meath have been given the go-ahead.
Family-owned Slane Castle Distillery said it would mean the creation of 25 full-time jobs.
Construction is due to begin later this year with plans to regenerate the 18th-century stable yards on the estate of the iconic castle.
It is anticipated the centre will attract up to 50,000 visitors a year when up and running from early 2015.
The whiskey will be made using barley grown on the estate while the water will come from the River Boyne that flows beneath the castle.
It is expected the first whiskey blend will be released in 2018.
The venture is being headed by Slane Castle Whiskey managing director Alex Mount Charles while his father Henry, the Marquess Conyngham, will act as chairman.
Alex Mount Charles said the family "are passionate about sustainability and producing hand-crafted whiskey from local Irish ingredients - the way an Irish whiskey should be made".
"The whiskey sector is an excellent growth industry as significant value is added to the finest raw materials which results in a higher value product for international export," he said.