Concern Grianan will be ‘shut down’

Donegal County Councillor Paul Canning raised his concerns at the Inishowen Municipal District meeting, which was held online this week.

He told how councillors had received a recently published conservation management plan for the site, which was compiled by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

The Fianna Fáil councillor said there were some policies in the document that concerned him. He added that while it is imperative the structure and environment is protected, he is worried the policies, which are standard and relate to areas such as protection of the structure, reviews of visitor numbers and pedestrian access, will lead to restrictions on visitor numbers and access to the fort.

“Maybe I’m looking at it wrong and negatively, but the OPW is giving policies and talking about providing physical protections and I’m concerned they’re going to start restricting visitor numbers.

“I get that we have to protect the environment, but I’m worried it will end up that we’ll only be able to look at Grianan over the hedge. We need to nip it in the bud.”

Colr. Canning said that the council must meet with the OPW.

“I would like to have a conversation with them as to see where these policies are going. I don’t want Grianan to end up like Newgrange, where we can’t get near it. We need an in-depth conversation with the OPW. The very least they could have done was come back to us with a draft document. I think it’s a bit restrictive.”

Councillor Jack Murray agreed and said it was ‘important’ that a meeting is sought with the OPW.

He added how he has ‘always been concerned they would try to limit visitors.’

The Sinn Féin councillor stressed that visitors must be welcomed and outlined how other protection mechanisms could be put in place.

He told how the OPW hires guides at sites ‘with a fraction of the visitor numbers’ of Grianan and said this would ensure the safety of the site, while also providing tourists with information.

“We need to get a meeting with the OPW, online. If they tried to shut down Grianan it would be unacceptable to the local community.”

He was informed this was something the council could explore.

Colr. Nicholas Crossan said Grianan must be kept open and if the OPW puts ‘so many stipulations’ on visiting Grianan, it will ‘take the good out of it.’

Fiona Doherty, Donegal County Council’s Development Officer for Community and Enterprise, said the OPW is ‘very much in favour of’ working with the council and Fáilte Ireland to ‘progress any type of facility there to improve the tourism market.’

She said she would follow up on the councillors’ remarks in terms of relating their queries back to the OPW.