Limerick City and County is extremely rich in the quality, diversity and extent of its surviving archaeological monuments and landscapes
Throughout Limerick there are over 8,000 monuments and more sites are added to the list each year. These vary from sites like the extensive prehistoric habitation sites at Lough Gur, to the later ringforts and the early churches and monastic foundations dispersed throughout the county; from the Viking City to the medieval chain of castles, towns, friaries and parish churches and the later town and tower houses.
All of these are evidence of the past inhabitants of the area. They populate our urban and rural landscapes, providing us with our roots and antecedents and providing visitors with interest and wonder. Many of the sites are threatened by decay through the forces of man and nature, others, such as earthen ramparts, are very fragile. Each one is unique and irreplaceable and together they represent a finite resource.
The Local Authority is dedicated to safe-guarding this archaeological heritage. There are approximately 67 sites or buildings in Limerick in State ownership or guardianship which are managed by the Office of Public Works. The Local Authority also owns many sites, most notably the majority of the ancient church and graveyard sites. The bulk of the monuments are held in private ownership. All, however, are held in trust for future generations.
These monuments are protected under the National Monuments Act (1930 and Amendments), the National Cultural Institutions Acts and the Planning and Development Acts. The Local Authority Development Plan also contains detailed objectives for the preservation and protection of the archaeological heritage.
Contact:
Sarah McCutcheon, Executive Archaeologist, Limerick City & County Council
Phone: +353 61 556573
Email: sarah.mccutcheon@limerick.ie
Useful links:
- For Recorded Monuments contained in the Archaeological Survey of Ireland compiled by the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht -www.archaeology.ie
- For State-owned Monuments open to the public - www.heritageireland.ie
- For archaeological excavations in Ireland since 1970 - www.excavations.ie
- Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland
- Group for the Study of Irish Settlements - www.irishsettlement.ie
- Irish Post-Medieval Archaeology Group - www.ipmag.ie
- Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland
- For publications from the National Monuments Service - www.archaeology.ie/publications-forms-legislation