Gates of Grianán of Aileach unlocked

The Office of Public Works (OPW) has agreed to extend the opening hours of Inishowen’s iconic Grianán of Aileach ring fort, over which it has management.

The move comes in response to a successful community campaign and an online petition set up to restore open access to the monument.

Donegal TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Féin) described Grianán of Aileach as "a beloved amenity for people in the North West." 

He added: “There had been limited opening hours there and there had been a lack of consultation about the monument’s future. Although it is managed by OPW, the road leading to Grianán and its car park are managed by Donegal County Council. 

“We were frustrated. There was a lack of consultation. People in the community are used to going up there, maybe first thing in the morning or the evening time and there was a lot of concern about the opening and closing times.

“OPW got back to me and said it would be extending the opening hours in the days ahead. Now, we are not sure exactly what that will entail but the opening hours are going to be extended which is good and it is an encouraging sign OPW is listening.

 “However, we need to now continue the dialogue regarding Grianán. Obviously there is the issue of access, which is very important to people at the moment but there is the wider issue of the amenity itself and its potential to drive tourism, so those two things now need to be progressed."

Dozens of disappointed visitors had found themselves repeatedly unable to gain access to Grianán of Aileach. The gate on the internationally renowned monument has been locked for random and prolonged periods, especially over Christmas and New Year.

The lockout seemed to stem from a number of recent, poorly publicised interventions in the official management of the historic site and fort. Visitor and community frustration with the situation had grown considerably in the intervening weeks. An online petition started by local historian, Bettina Linke, to ‘Restore open access to Grianán of Aileach’  garnered more than 1,000 signatures in under a week.

Grianán sits 250 metres above sea level and boasts spectacular and panoramic views across counties Donegal, Derry, Tyrone and Antrim. It recorded a staggering 110,000 visitors annually pre-pandemic.

It was Donegal’s third most popular tourist attraction in 2019, according to Fáilte Ireland’s Annual Visitor Attractions Survey - pipped to the post by Glenveagh Castle and Sliabh Liag Cliffs. The current disastrous situation at Grianán was accurately predicted by Donegal county councillor Paul Canning of Fianna Fáil in February 2021.

The Inish Times, reported his comment that “tourists and locals may have no option but to view Grianán from the N13, which runs through Burt, if the Office of Public Works (OPW) [which manages heritage sites in the Republic of Ireland] gets its way”.

Cllr Canning was speaking at an Inishowen Municipal District (IMD) meeting which discussed the new Conservation Management Plan drawn up for Grianán. The plan set out the Implementation Strategy and Action Plan for the conservation of the Fort and contained a proposal to restrict the number of visitors allowed up to Grianán.

According to Cllr Canning, the OPW was placing a lot of restrictions on the site, even down to what could be done in the adjoining car park.

At that time, Cllr Canning proposed a meeting with the OPW so the Inishowen councillors could “tease out how restrictive these policies were going to be”.

He added: “I do not want Grianán to end up like Newgrange, where visitors cannot see it or get near it. We need an in-depth conversation with the OPW. We all attended the meeting regarding the Fort [in 2017], the least the OPW could have done was come back with a draft document, so councillors could have had an input."

Speaking to Derry News this week, Inishowen councillor Jack Murray (Sinn Féin) said: “OPW has outright refused to give a date for a meeting, in spite of the fact Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD received ministerial assurance, in response to a Parliamentary Question, such a meeting would take place.

 “We want to encourage visitors to Grianán. I do not know why OPW will not hire a tour guide to bring people to Grianán. Somebody there on a full time basis could welcome visitors and be a watchful pair of eyes over the site. 

 “OPW hires staff in sites in Donegal which attract as few as 5,000 visitors per year. Grianán of Aileach attracts upwards of 110,000 visitors per year."