Archaeological monuments at coastal locations such as those at Kilbarron Castle near Ballyshannon are particularly vulnerable during strong winds and high tides.
Recent storms and coastal erosion may have caused damage to County Donegal’s archaeological heritage.
The National Monuments Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht is interested in hearing of any damage to archaeological monuments in County Donegal as a result of recent storms and high tides.
“Some of our archaeological monuments in coastal locations are particularly vulnerable during storm conditions,” explained Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer.
“The recent combination of strong winds and high tides may have accelerated coastal erosion in the vicinity of archaeological monuments, undermined them, caused collapse or even uncovered archaeological structures or objects.
“The National Monument Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht is the statutory organisation charged with ensuring the protection of our archaeological heritage and is keen to hear of any recent damage caused to our archaeological monuments.”
As of September 2013, there were 3,396 known archaeological monuments in County Donegal and most of them are in private ownership.
Most of these archaeological monuments date from prior to 1700 and all are protected under the National Monuments Acts (1930-2004). Archaeological monuments in coastal locations in County Donegal include promontory forts, castles, tower houses, historic graveyards and holy wells.
If you would like to find out what archaeological monuments are on your property, are in your guardianship or are in your area, you can search by townland, town or type of monument on the National Monuments Service website at: www.archaeology.ie Some of these are also identified on the Ordnance Survey Discovery Series maps.
If you have any information on damage to archaeological monuments in County Donegal, please contact the County Donegal Heritage Office on (074) 917 2576 / heritage@donegalcoco.ie or the Donegal County Museum on (074) 912 4613 / museum@donegalcoco.ie with details as soon as possible.
This information will be passed on to the National Monuments Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht. If you would like to find out more about our archaeological heritage, a free brochure entitled ‘Earthen Banks and Broken Walls: our legacy of ancient monuments’ produced by the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht outlining some of the main types of archaeological monuments is available free-of-charge from the County Donegal Heritage Office, Donegal County Council on (074) 917 2576 or by e-mail at: heritage@donegalcoco.ie
