Conservation plan underway for McDermott’s Castle on Lough Key

A conservation management plan is currently being developed for McDermott’s Castle on Lough Key, Boyle.

The Rock of Lough Key, the McDermott caput in the lordship of Moylurg in the middle ages, is first identified in historical records in the mid twelfth century when the McDermott lords were given possession of Moylurg by O’Conor overlords.

A conservation management plan is currently being developed for the site through Community Monuments funding. This will provide an opportunity to celebrate the importance and value of this significant historical site and, through a collaborative approach, develop a set of policies and priorities to support the protection and conservation of the site for future generations.

The project team is led by Aoife Leonard RIAI Grade 1 Conservation Architect Cala Architects; Dr. Tomas Finan, PhD, FSA, Archaeologist; Jon Avent, BSc (Hons) CEng MIStructE IHBC Conservation Structural Engineer and Ecologist: Dr. Caroline Shiel, B.Sc., Ph.D; in collaboration with site owner Sean Simon, OPW - Office of Public Works and National Monuments Service – Archaeology.

The Community Monuments Fund is administered by Roscommon County Council’s Heritage Office on behalf of the National Monuments Service and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage