UNESCO sites in
Ireland
By Orla O Halloran
What is UNESCO?
UNESCO is the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization.
The mainobjective of UNESCO is to
promote peace and security
throughout the world. This is done by
having the world’s nations join forces
through education, science, culture
and communication.
done to help achieve universal
This is
respect for justice, for the rule of law
and human rights and fundamental
freedoms which are denied to many
people of the world, without distinction
of race, sex, language or religion.
The organisation’s founding statement
declares that “peace must therefore
be founded, if it is not to fail, upon the
intellectual and the moral solidarity of
mankind.”
The agency has it’s headquarters in
Paris, France.
Itoperates educational, scientific and
cultural programmes and exchange
from field offices worldwide.
Projectssponsered by UNESCO
include international science
programs, literacy, technical, and
teacher training programs, regional
and cultural history projects and
international cooperation agreements
to secure the world’s cultural and
natural heritage and to preserve
human rights.
UNESCO in Ireland
Ireland joined UNESCO on October 3rd 1961.
Ireland is one of the countries contributing
to the funding of the EFA (Education for All)
Global Monitoring Report.
Another thing Ireland is associated with
through UNESCO is the QualiFLY project.
This project promotes family literacy.
UNESCO World Heritage sites in
Ireland.
two properties inscribed
Ireland has
on the World Heritage List; the Bend of
the Boyne and Skellig Michael.
Irelandalso has eight properties
inscribed on the Tentative List;
Kilarney National Park, Northwest
Mayo Boglands, Clonmacnoise,
Western Stone Forts, Cashel,
Clara Bog, Burren and the Ceide
Fields.
Bend of the Boyne.
TheBend of the Boyne or Brú na
Bóinne as it is called in is Irish situated
in Co. Meath.
Thethree main prehistoric sites of the
Brú na Bóinne Complex are
Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth.
It is a complex of Neolithic chamber tombs,
standing stones, henges and other
prehistoric enclosures, some dating
from as early as 35th Century BC – 32nd
Century BC.
The site predates the Egypyian
pyramids and was built with
sophistication and a knowledge of
science and astronomy, which is most
evident in the passage grave of
Newgrange.
The site is often referred to as the
"Bend of the Boyne" and this is often
(incorrectly) taken to be a translation
of Brú na Bóinne (Palace of the Boyne).
In 1690 it was the site of the famous
Battle of the Boyne.
Thesite covers 780ha and contains
around 40 passage graves, as well as
other prehistoric sites.
Each of the three main megalith sites
have significant archaeoastronomical
significance. Newgrange and Dowth
have Winter solstice solar alignments,
while it is claimed Knowth has an
Equinox solar alignment.
Theseare all situated on the north
bank of the River Boyne 50 km north of
Dublin.
is Europe’s largest and most
This
important collection of megalithic art.
Themonuments there had social,
economic, religious and funerary
functions.
TheCommittee inscribed the site
under criteria and asked the Irish
authorities to control carefully further
developments in and around the site
and to involve ICOMOS in conservation
and management planning.
Skellig Michael
Skellig Michael is situated in Co. Kerry.
Thisis a monastic complex that dates
back to the 7th century.
Itis situated on the steep sides of the
rocky island of Skellig Michael, that is
around 12km off the south west of
Ireland.
SkelligMichael shows us of the
spartan existance of the first christians
in Ireland.
Thesite is very well preserved
because up til recent times the
extreme remoteness of Skellig Michael
has discouraged many visitors.
The Committee decided to inscribe
Skellig Michael because of the cultural
criteria and considering that the site is
of outstanding universal value being
an exceptional, and in many respects
unique examples of an early religious
settlement deliberately sited on a
pyramidal rock in the ocean, preserved
because of a remarkable environment.
Itshows us, as no other site can, the
extremes of a Christian monasticism
characterizing much of North Africa,
the Near East and Europe.
Skellig Michael