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The Bend of the Boyne - or Brú na Bóinne
- is internationally renowned for its elaborate Neolithic
passage tombs, containing the largest assemblage of megalithic
art in Europe.
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Brú na Bóinne has been
an important ritual, social and economic centre for thousands
of years.
Its universal value was recognised in 1993 when it was
designated as a World Heritage Site - only one of three
on the island of Ireland. |
The 2002 Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site
Management Plan identifies the importance of establishing
'key priorities for research, which will provide a greater
understanding of the site's broad range of archaeological
monuments'. To-date, a considerable body of research has
been completed including large-scale excavations at Newgrange
and Knowth, field survey, analysis of the megalithic art and
discussion of the landscape of the WHS.
Nonetheless, many key research questions need to be addressed
- such as the dating and development of monuments, changes
in the settlement record and how perceptions of the complex
changed through time. Related management issues, preservation,
conservation and interpretation within the WHS can also be
seen as key issues.
On an international level, UNESCO has recognised that knowledge
and understanding are fundamental to the identification, management
and monitoring of World Heritage properties and the publication
of a research framework for inscribed sites is widely seen
as best practice in this regard.
Accordingly, the Heritage Council - in collaboration with
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
- has recently begun drafting a Research Framework for Brú
na Bóinne - reassessing key priorities and looking
at where future research should be directed. A series of public
information seminars are planned to both inform and include
all interested parties in this process.
A successful seminar was held in March 2008. To download
Seminar Abstracts and Presentations - Click
Here
To download the Consultation Document - Click
Here
Submissions can be sent to -
Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site Research Framework
The Heritage Council
Church Lane
Kilkenny
- or can be emailed to - [email protected]
NOTE: The closing date for submissions is 1st August
2008
To download the Brú na Bóinne Poster - Click
Here
Research Committee
Chairperson
Prof. Gabriel Cooney
(Heritage Council member; UCD School of Archaeology)
Mr. Ian Doyle
(Head of Conservation Services, Heritage Council)
Dr. Jessica Smyth
(Research Officer, Heritage Council)
Dr. Stefan Bergh
(Lecturer, Dept of Archaeology, NUI Galway)
Dr. Conor Brady
(Lecturer, Dundalk Institute of Technology)
Ms. Mary Cahill
(Assistant Keeper, National Museum of Ireland)
Mr. Tom Condit
(Archaeologist, National Monuments Service)
Ms. Ana Dolan
(Senior Architect, Office of Public Works)
Dr. Jane Downes
(Head of Department, Orkney College UHI)
Prof. George Eogan
(Knowth Excavations Project)
Dr. Loreto Guinan
(Heritage Officer, Meath County Council)
Ms. Fionnuala Parnell
(Office of Public Works)
Dr. Finbar McCormick
(Senior Lecturer, Dept of Archaeology, QUB)
Dr. Geraldine Stout
(Researcher; Archaeologist, DoEHLG)
Ms. Clare Tuffy
(Manager, Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre)
Dr. Elizabeth Twohig
Mr. Oliver Ward
(Secretary, Meath Archaeological and Historical Society)
Dr. Michael Potterton
(Senior Research Archaeologist, The Discovery Programme)
Ms. Jill Chadwick
(Conservation Officer, Meath County Council)
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