Owner says fort is a poisoned chalice

A north Clare farmer considers having the prestigious Ballykinvarga stone fort on his lands "something of a poisoned chalice".

Access to the fort outside the village of Kilfenora is denied due to insurance costs.

The farmer, Mr Tom Neylon, explains: "It is something of a poisoned chalice with people trespassing on the land to see it, but it has been a great source of pride to the family to have the fort there."

Mr Neylon said he did not envisage allowing visitors to see the fort until farmers were paid for access to their lands, a claim supported at a recent conference in Ballyvaughan.

He added: "The Government offered me £175,000 for the lands around the fort a couple of years ago, but I haven't heard anything since."

In Dúchas documents on stone forts, officials admit that there are issues concerning protection and management, as many of the big sites are in private ownership. The best-known of the western stone forts is the spectacular Dún Aonghasa fort on Inis Mór. It has been in state ownership since the 19th century.

Arguing in favour of forts going forward for nomination to the World Heritage List, an internal Dúchas document says: "The survival of such high numbers of these monuments provides a unique opportunity for archaeological investigation into a rich and vibrant society that counts amongst the finest in Europe".

It adds: "These forts represent a style of construction that is different to other parts of Europe. They attest to the supreme skill of the master masons of Europe."

An archaeologist, Ms Claire Cotter, has carried out extensive work on the western stone forts. She said: "They are very much worthy of World Heritage site inclusion, and we are lucky that a good number of them are still in very good condition."

Ms Cotter has carried out four seasons of excavation at Dúun Aonghasa. It is believed that this fort was built around 1000 BC and was lived in intermittently until 800 to 1000 AD.