No date for Dowth Hall national park opening as second anniversary of €11m purchase approaches
Dowth House and the lands were bought by the State for over €10 million over two years ago.
It is only a couple of miles away from Oldbridge House and the Battle of the Boyne site
The Minister responsible, James Browne, in reply to a parliamentary question from local Labour TD Ged Nash has confirmed that a new manager has been appointed for the Dowth property by the National Park and Wildlife Service.
A masterplan for the whole new park including its opening is being worked on by the National Park and Wildlife Service ( NPWS), in partnership with the National Monuments Service (NMS) and the Office of Public Works (OPW).
The Masterplan will comprise a suite of important archaeological monuments, Dowth House, Netterville Manor and other heritage buildings, an important designed landscape and a range of habitats including mixed woodland, scrub, riparian wetland and grassland with an extensive complement of flora and fauna.
Minister Browne said: "The NPWS is currently advancing preparations for opening the Bru na Boinne National Park to the public.
"The Masterplan for the National Park involved background research/ analysis, ongoing stakeholder engagement including with the recently established Bru na Boinne Community World Heritage Forum, development of options, and a final Masterplan Report.
"A new Park Manager was appointed last year to oversee the operations of the Bru Na Boinne National Park, as well as the development of the Masterplan.
"This Masterplan will seek to provide a conceptual overview and strategic thinking on how to develop the National Park within the World Heritage Property.
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"It will also look to promote an understanding of the Park's significance as one of Ireland's foremost important cultural and natural heritage sites. The draft once prepared will be issued for public consultation following stakeholder engagement through the rest of 2025.
"One of the requirements is to ensure community involvement in the development of the Masterplan including community consultation throughout the process.
"The Masterplan will guide decision-making for the sensitive conservation, development and management of Bru na Boinne National Park into the future."
He also confirmed the management of the new Park have been interacting and holding workshops and excursions with Teagasc, Inland Fisheries ireland, Failte Ireland and the reimagined Boyne Valley Drive, Met Eireann, BASE Ireland, UCD, Atlantic Technical University, RTE Radio, National Biodiversity Data Centre, Irish Rare Breeds Society, Solstice Arts Centre and Irish Ramsar Wetland Committee.
The Park will host an arts/biodiversity event in collaboration with Solstice Arts Centre, Navan on August 24 next
The Minister said the National Park team and its partners intend to maintain and develop new collaborations and are always open to request by group visits and are looking forward to providing a public resource of this unique area centred on sensitive conservation of our natural and cultural heritage.
No exact date has been set for the opening yet. The Dowth estate was purchased by the State in 2023.Deputy Nash is pushing for the park to be opened to the public as soon as possible.
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