Heritage Council selects moated site at Ballyogan under Adopt a Monument Scheme

Seven new sites have been chosen to take part in the Heritage Council’s 2019 Adopt a Monument Scheme, including a moated site on the side of Brandon Hill.

After an open public competition, the seven short-listed sites from across Ireland include a prehistoric tomb overlooking Lough Derg, to a medieval church on the northernmost tip of Donegal and a Napoleonic fort on the shores of the Shannon in County Clare.

The Adopt a Monument Scheme offers expertise, mentoring and support to communities to help them care for their local heritage. Working in partnership with communities and state bodies, the scheme helps to ensure the sustainable future of the adopted monuments. Previous projects have cared for and conserved vulnerable monuments as well as carrying out successful surveys and excavations.

Speaking about the sites chosen, Virginia Teehan, CEO of the Heritage Council said, “While it was originally planned to have just four new sites join the Scheme, we received over 50 applications from energized community groups across Ireland. The enthusiasm of the seven groups shortlisted made it impossible to choose between them. Each of the sites are unique and represent important aspects of Ireland’s heritage. We are really looking forward to working with the communities to uncover the stories of their sites”, added Ms Teehan.

The moated site is hidden in forestry on the slopes of Brandon Hill in the townland of Ballyogan and is the focus for the Tyndall Mountain Club. The site was recorded in the 1840s but little else is known about it. Through a programme of research and investigation, the club aims to learn more about the site.