Why indeed

Article in last Fridays Derry Journal
Why is Grianan of Aileach still being neglected? – MacLochlainn asks
Despite being one of Ireland’s truly historic sites, Burt’s Grianan of Aileach is all but ignored both in terms of the provision of facilities and tourism promotion
In another attempt to rectify this Sinn Fein’s Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has submitted a [...]

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What would you think if I sang out of tune

When a new year starts with the realisation that, what was perceived as Grianan of Aileach until now and since the 1830’s, is not the circular structure on top of Greenan Hill but underneath the meagre remains of an old O’Doherty castle at Eleaghmore a few miles away, then one may wonder, what the remaining [...]

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The Returning of the Light

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Possible contestant for crowning stone at Grianán

At the beginning of this year I finally started to walk the rest of the hill and surroundings, away from the sad sight of concrete fillings, and came, not really surprisingly, across a few suspicious stone compilations. Amongst them was in one a large slab with what looked like two left foot imprints. Although I [...]

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Sunsets at Grianán

Even after closer examination women don’t seem to have played a significant role in the history of Grianán of Aileach. Yet nine names, three queens and six goddesses, representing the land, sovereignty, fertility, war, death and great influence, are found surrounding events at the time of the legendary Tuatha De Dannan near Ulster and Aileach. [...]

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The forgotten stones of Aileach

It is said that “Three hundred years after the deluge,… all holy Ireland was desert, until Partholón came.” He divided it into four parts among his four sons – Er, Orba, Fearon, and Feargna. “He gave the first part to Er, namely, all that is from Aileach Néid in the north of Ulster to Athcliath [...]

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Time Enough to Rot

After nearly two months of the meeting between the OPW and local councillors having taken place I finally received some information on what went on.
 
Sent: Tue Jun 24 14:41:09 2008
Subject: Grianan, article
Dear Pádraig MacLochlainn,
I have been asked now on several occasions about the outcome of the meeting with the OPW and I would appreciate if [...]

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Grianán Ailigh by Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh

May I proudly present Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh’s painting of Grianán Ailigh.
We will exhibit it over the summer around Inishowen in the hope, that it will raise awareness of the rapidly dwindling heritage of Inishowen. The utter lack of care, consideration and respect shown at Grianan, applies to all of Inishowen - lock, stock, barrel and heritage. 
                  
 
GRIANÁN [...]

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Recycled and other news

The meeting between councillors and an OPW representative seems finally to haven taken place around the end of April. Apparently, neither the people of Inishowen nor Donegal are worthy to receive information concerning the state and status of Grianan Aileach.
After an email from Anita Guidera from the Irish Independent, who tried in vain to find [...]

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Strange fruit

I received an email from the Tara Foundation, who got successfully in contact with the OPW, containing the following statement:
“Grianan Aileach has not be removed from the National Monuments List.
It will remain on the list and in State care as long as it is in State 
ownership. Grianan Aileach is not featured on the 
www.heritageireland.ie map as [...]

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