County Armagh: Navan Fort on World Heritage Tentative List

The Lord Mayor of Armagh City said he was delighted that the ancient site had been shortlisted

Navan Fort in County Armagh has made it onto a shortlist that could lead to World Heritage status.

The ancient site is included in the Royal Sites of Ireland - six pre-historic monuments and sites.

The Royal Sites are one of three successful bids to get on to Ireland's new World Heritage Tentative List.

The Tentative List is comprised of areas that are considered to have cultural or natural heritage of outstanding universal value.

Four of the sites represent the ancient Kingdoms of Ireland and it's current provinces of North (Navan Fort), South (Rock of Cashel), East (Dún Ailline) and West (Rathcroghan).

These sites are associated in early medieval and medieval texts as the principal ancient sites of royal inauguration in Ireland.

Navan Fort is a part of The Royal Sites of Ireland, a group of six pre-historic sites

'Ancient capital of Ulster'

"Navan Fort is one of the most significant archaeological sites and viewed as the ancient capital of Ulster, " said Paul Greenfield, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.

"I'm delighted that the journey continues towards achieving UNESCO World Heritage site status, with Navan Fort now placed on the new tentative list."

An application was made in June 2021 to be put on the new Tentative List.

In line with UNESCO guidelines, a site must first be on its State's Tentative List, before it can be considered eligible to move forward with a bid for World Heritage Status.

The other two successful applications included The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo and Transatlantic Cable Ensemble: Valentia-Heart's Content, County Kerry (a serial transnational nomination with Canada).