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Dublin: 12 °C Friday 24 May, 2013

Newgrange is Ireland’s favourite heritage site

Meath site pips the Cliffs of Moher and Glendalough as the nation’s favourite site, as National Heritage week kicks off on Saturday.

Newgrange
Newgrange
Image: sedoglia via Flickr/Creative Commons

NEWGRANGE IS IRELAND’S favourite heritage site, according to the National Heritage Survey.

The Stone Age passage tomb pipped the Cliffs and Moher and Glendalough as the nation’s favourite site, according to the research, which was published ahead of the launch of National Heritage Week, beginning today.

Meath came out on top as the county with the richest heritage, followed by Clare and Kerry. Trinity College was rated the site most worthy of official heritage status according to the research, which was carried out by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical Ireland.

Overall, 26 per cent of respondents frequently visited an Irish heritage site while 10 per cent visited more than ten times a year.

“Over a quarter of those surveyed reported visiting Irish heritage sites frequently, which reiterates the importance of our heritage gems as a valuable tourism resource, not just for overseas tourists but also increasingly for those holidaying at home,” said David Lane, managing director of Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland.

“While the economic climate is set to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future, it is a positive sign that there has been a revival of interest in our country’s past.

National Heritage Week will run for eight days, with over 1,500 events planned across the country.

This year, the Heritage Council has sought to focus on Ireland’s built heritage, with many houses and sites that were previously closed top the public opening for the first time. These include Freemasons Hall in Dublin, Bracklyn House in Westmeath and Kilpeacon House in Limerick.

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Comments (12 Comments)

  • By ‘eck. Cast of Corrie went to Newgrange and saw Knowth…. I’ll get my coat…

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  • Love Knowth also beside New Grange .! Found it very special … More so than New Grange

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  • Dmc 18/08/12 #

    The cliffs in Kilkee are far nicer than Cliffs of Moher. Its not marketed because they stretch so far, Clare County Council wouldnt be able to charge entry

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  • Newgrange is impressive once you are inside it as you then don’t have to look at the dog’s dinner they made when reconstructing the exterior. It was in the mid 1970s that the white quartzite stones were fixed into a vertical steel reinforced concrete wall. Such technology did not, of course, exist when the place was originally built and many archaeologists maintain that the stones were laid out as a type of apron in front of the entrance and not placed vertically as they are now. It is astonishing to think that even as recently as the 1970s a decision was taken to re-construct the exterior in such a way as to make it look like a modern visitor centre. What a pity.

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  • Went to newgrange the other day, very interesting. Bit of advice though, go early so you don’t have to wait for a tour because the tours sell out quickly.

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  • If you’d like a less touristy experience, you could do worse and visit the lough crew passage grave near oldcastle.

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    • I live not too far away from loughcrew megalithic graves and they are great, there are 2 sites a couple of km’s apart carnbane east site has one big completely intact grave beneath a huge stone structure and several smaller graves scattered around it and sits at the highest point in Meath so the views are breathtaking ( on a clear day) , carnbane west is also very impressive and has a long stone wall beside it which was built buy German pow’s during ww2 ( mostly pilots) . Older than the pyramids in Egypt and a great place to explore and have a picnic , kids are always at me to ( bring us to the witchy mountain daddy) . great day out .

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  • meath council should take note and improve the roads and sinage to Newgrange Dowth and Knowth and maybe try to help local business not hinder them

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  • Went to Newgrange recently. Wonderfully impressive place. Just be advised that although open until 7pm tours finish at 5.30pm as does the coffee bar. Great operational management by OPW with many pissed off tourists. Couldn’t even get a drink of water after 5.30pm…

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  • Dave 18/08/12 #

    Live just a few miles from Newgrange, yet I still have not visited! Must change that soon!

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