The royal site of the Hill of Uisneach, between the Westmeath villages of Ballymore and Loughnavalley, has been nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The latest “tentative list” of nominees, revealed this week by Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley, includes the Hill of Uisneach as one of the “royal sites of Ireland”.
Other sites in the category include Cashel, Dún Ailinne, Rathcroghan, and Tara, all of which were “sites of major royal inauguration, ceremony and assembly” which are “strongly linked to myth and legend and are associated with the transformation of Ireland from paganism to Christianity and Saint Patrick”.
Uisneach is also singled out as “traditionally the epicentre of Ireland, where the five provinces met”.
The monastic city of Clonmacnoise and its cultural landscape, spanning counties Offaly, Roscommon, and Westmeath, also appears on the list to be submitted to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia at the end of July.
Minister Gormley said he was satisfied that the new list comprises “those properties which are of outstanding universal value, meet the UNESCO World Heritage inscription criteria in terms of integrity and authenticity, and have the best potential for future inscription on the World Heritage List”.
He added that inclusion on the tentative list is “a badge of honour”. “We must remember our unique culture and heritage is one of our most valuable assets which deserves to be shared internationally,” he said.
Also included on the list are the historic city of Dublin, the Céide Fields and North West Mayo Boglands, Western Stone Forts, Early Medieval Monastic Sites, and the Royal Sites of Ireland.
There are just two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ireland at present; these are Skellig Michael, off the Kerry coast, and Brú na Bóinne in County Meath.
