The 2009 series of workshops and field trips in November were attended in total by 98 people. We are delighted by the response and hope to re-run some of the events again in early Summer (when the weather is hopefully better!!). We will be progressively uploading field notes and maps in early 2010.
"there's a lot more history and interesting things all over the Mournes like drumlins, tombs etc...than I thought"
- teenage participant
"I have walked the Mournes for 30 years, but I learnt more about dolmens, cashels and souterrains, than I had read about
- brought to life by the tutors...actually seeing U-shaped valleys and different granites brought the subjects to life" - outdoor enthusiast
"The young people enjoyed the trip...some discussed 'hijacking' their geography class on Monday to discuss the fieldtrip!"
- scout leader
"Thanks for a great afternoon " - community activist
If you missed the trips, please join us to explore our shared past and future heritage in 2010.
All events are free and open to the public.
Landscape & Archaeological Heritage
Louth and its borderlands enjoy a range of rich landscapes, formed by geological processes over millions of years.
This landscape heritage influences how we live, work and interact with our neighbours, in farming, fishing,
travelling, trading and migrating.
From the agricultural lowlands in the Boyne Valley to the granitic mountains of the Cooley Peninsula, the
U-shaped fjord of Carlingford Lough to the Mournes and north to the Slieve Gullion ranges, Louth has been
sculpted into the familiar places about us. The Great Ice Age, which ended 13,000 years ago, was the key
'recent' landscape-forming event, carved out the landforms where many of the mythological characters of
the Táin Bó Cuailnge resided, including the strategic ‘Gap of the North’ to Ulster (Uladh), gives us our
definitive ‘sense of place’ and identity in where we live today.
Louth contains a rich array of archaeological heritage indicating advanced human activity from prehistoric
times to the present. In particular, from the Boyne Valley in the south to Faughart and the Cooley Peninsula
in the north, the county encompasses Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, early Christian and medieval layers of
cultural heritage.
Many of the Táin sagas are interpreted to have originated from the early centuries AD and evidence of their
origins can be seen throughout the Louth-Down-Armagh landscape. These archaeological sites represent points
on a line of human habitation and interaction with the landscape that continues, unbroken, to this day.
Much of this was passed down in myths, legends, music and languages which supported the distinctive landscape
of the Northeast.
Through engagement with this project, we hope that the expression of mythology in the landscape, in archaeology
and place-names may provide a physical connection with people’s own homeplaces. Cultural exchanges and field
visits will aim to provide understanding of ‘my place – your place’ to build a new sense of ‘our place’. This
exciting project aims to capture, chronicle and ultimately share our understanding of Louth and its borderlands’
common heritage to generate a new and peaceful future
