National monument (Ireland)

{{short description|Monument assigned national importance in Ireland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} [[Image:Irish_national_monument_notice 2.JPG|thumb|right|A typical notice ({{langx|ga|fógra}}) at a National Monument. (Note that the current minister responsible is the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage)]] A '''national monument''' ({{Langx|ga|séadchomhartha náisiúnta}}) in Ireland is a structure or site, the preservation of which has been deemed to be of national importance and therefore worthy of state protection. If the land adjoining the monument is essential to protect it, this land may also be protected.

Equivalent monuments in Northern Ireland are listed within the Northern Ireland Sites and Monuments Record and are either in state care or included within the list of scheduled monuments. They are under the protection of the Department for Communities.<ref>{{cite book |author-last=Hamlin |author-first=Ann |chapter=Government archaeology in Northern Ireland |title=Archaeological Heritage Management in the Modern World |editor-last=Cleere |editor-first=Henry L. |location=London |year=1989 |publisher=Unwin Hyman |isbn=0-04-445028-1 |pages=171–181}}</ref>

==Legal framework for protection== National monuments are managed under the auspices of the National Monuments Service, which is part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=Heritage (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 |year=2020|number=339|date=8 September 2020|type=si}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://whodoeswhat.gov.ie/division/housing/Monuments/|title=National Monuments Service|website=Who Does What|access-date=24 February 2021}}</ref><ref>[http://www.archaeology.ie/ Homepage of the National Monuments Service]</ref> The official status of national monument is conferred under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=Local Government Reform Act 2014 |year=2014|number=1|section=1|stitle=Short title, collective citations, constructions and commencement|date=27 January 2014}}</ref>

Monuments had been protected under the Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882, an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. After the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, this framework was reformed by the National Monuments Act 1930.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=National Monuments Act 1930 |year=1930|number=2|date=26 February 1930}}</ref> The list of national monuments has since been expanded. By 2010 there were nearly 1,000 monuments in state ownership or guardianship, although this represents only a small proportion of Ireland's recorded archaeological heritage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.archaeology.ie/how-many-national-monuments-are-state-care-0|title=National Monuments Service - How many National Monuments are in State care?|access-date=7 February 2021|archive-date=13 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713135128/https://www.archaeology.ie/how-many-national-monuments-are-state-care-0|url-status=dead}}</ref> There are more than 126,000 known sites ['Recorded Monuments'] in Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.org/51-fie-work/archaeology/15751-|title=National Monuments Loophole|website=Friends of the Irish Environment|access-date=7 February 2021}}</ref> Each national monument is numbered (for example, the Rock of Cashel is National Monument number 128, Newgrange is number 147),<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.archaeology.ie/national-monuments/search-by-county|title=National Monuments Service - Search by County|access-date=7 February 2021}}</ref> and a numbered monument may represent a group of sites, as is the case at the Rock of Cashel.

A provision of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004 allows for the destruction in whole or in part of a national monument by the Government of Ireland if such destruction is deemed to be in the "public interest".<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004 |year=2004|number=22|section=5|stitle=Injury to national monuments, etc.|date=18 July 2004}}</ref> According to press reports, these provisions were included to facilitate road schemes, and in particular the destruction of Carrickmines Castle, a national monument, to build an intersection along the south-eastern section of the M50 motorway.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

==World Heritage Sites== {{main|List of World Heritage Sites in the Republic of Ireland}} Two national monuments are also recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites: {{lang|ga|Brú na Bóinne}} in County Meath and Skellig Michael in County Kerry.

== List of monuments == {| class="wikitable sortable" align=right ! Province ! County ! Individual Monuments |- | align=right | Connacht | Galway | align=right | 88 |- | align=right | Munster | Kerry | align=right | 76 |- | align=right | Munster | Limerick | align=right | 62 |- | align=right | Munster | Cork | align=right | 58 |- | align=right | Connacht | Mayo | align=right | 53 |- | align=right | Leinster | Meath | align=right | 53 |- | align=right | Munster | Tipperary | align=right | 48 |- | align=right | Munster | Clare | align=right | 37 |- | align=right | Leinster | Kilkenny | align=right | 33 |- | align=right | Leinster | Dublin | align=right | 30 |- | align=right | Connacht | Sligo | align=right | 24 |- | align=right | Leinster | Wicklow | align=right | 24 |- | align=right | Leinster | Louth | align=right | 23 |- | align=right | Leinster | Wexford | align=right | 17 |- | align=right | Ulster | Donegal | align=right | 16 |- | align=right | Leinster | Kildare | align=right | 16 |- | align=right | Connacht | Roscommon | align=right | 15 |- | align=right | Leinster | Westmeath | align=right | 15 |- | align=right | Leinster | Carlow | align=right | 14 |- | align=right | Munster | Waterford | align=right | 14 |- | align=right | Leinster | Offaly | align=right | 10 |- | align=right | Leinster | Laois | align=right | 8 |- | align=right | Ulster | Cavan | align=right | 7 |- | align=right | Connacht | Leitrim | align=right | 7 |- | align=right | Ulster | Monaghan | align=right | 7 |- | align=right | Leinster | Longford | align=right | 6 |- class="sortbottom" style="font-weight:bold; background:rgb(232,232,232);" | align=right | Total | Ireland | align=right | 761 |} The following is an index to lists of National Monuments of Ireland, divided by province.

===Connacht=== {{Main|List of national monuments in Connacht}} * List of national monuments in County Galway * List of national monuments in County Leitrim * List of national monuments in County Mayo * List of national monuments in County Roscommon * List of national monuments in County Sligo

===Munster=== {{Main|List of national monuments in Munster}} * List of national monuments in County Clare * List of national monuments in County Cork * List of national monuments in County Kerry * List of national monuments in County Limerick * List of national monuments in County Tipperary * List of national monuments in County Waterford

===Ulster=== {{Main|List of national monuments in Ulster}} * List of national monuments in County Cavan * List of national monuments in County Donegal * List of national monuments in County Monaghan

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.archaeology.ie/|name=National Monuments Service}}

Category:National monuments (Ireland) Category:Archaeological sites in the Republic of Ireland Category:Monuments and memorials in the Republic of Ireland Category:Heritage registers in the Republic of Ireland Category:Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage