Grianán of Aileach now open ‘during daylight hours’

The Office of Public Works OPW has said that Grianán of Aileach is now accessible to the public during daylight hours.

The move follows months of concern about access to the state-owned monument with visitors regularly finding it closed without prior notice.  

Concerns were raised after the installation of a gate at the stone ring fort near Burt, which was extensively restored in the 1870s but is thought to have a history dating back to 1700 BC. Locals have complained that the gate has prevented access during sunrise and sunset to the fort, which the OPW says attracted more than 16,500 visitors in 2022.

Local politicians have said there has been an ongoing failure to maximise the potential of the site. 

More than 1,800 people have signed an online petition started last month calling for the reinstatement of open access to the site. 

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The OPW has said that the site will be closed during national storm alerts.

Local Bettina Linke, who established the petition, wrote to the OPW at the beginning of this month requesting early morning opening hours for seven days in March for the alignment at the spring equinox. 

In a reply the OPW said it has been reviewing the opening arrangements and a decision has been taken that the site will be accessible during daylight hours.

The OPW’s webpage for the fort states that access is “available during daylight hours”.