Applying Longford's Cairn Hill for the Community Monuments Fund

Having been interested in preserving Cairn Hill, Drumlish, for its historic cairns that are said to be passage tombs that are inaccessible, local advocate, Hazel Robinson, gave an update on her plans to make the area a national heritage site.

This will be through the Community Monuments Fund, which has supported the urgent repair and conservation of the towerhouse at Abbeyshrule Abbey, for example.

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Hazel outlined to the ‘Longford Leader’ that she plans on applying for funding to be allocated to Cairn Hill via the Community Monuments Fund 2026 under Stream 3: “enhancement of access infrastructure and interpretation, in relation to Cairn Hill, County Longford.”

Last September Hazel, along with Aoife Keenan, began advocating for the site's preservation. Cairn Hill is also a popular local walking trail, featuring on the Longford.ie website. It describes the site having two cairns.

Through her application, Hazel stated that “the local community is deeply invested in the preservation, care, and respectful celebration of Cairn Hill as a shared heritage asset. Enhancing access and interpretation would allow residents, visitors, and future generations to engage meaningfully with the site, while ensuring its long-term protection and conservation.”

If successful, Stream 3 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for enhancement of access infrastructure and interpretation (including virtual/online) at archaeological monuments. The Community Monuments Fund was first established in 2020 to provide investment in Ireland’s archaeological heritage. The Community Monuments Fund is said to invest essential capital in national, valuable archaeological heritage and help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public.

On the weekend of March 21, Hazel hopes to host a small ceremony on the hill for the upcoming spring equinox. Members of the public are encouraged to attend, and she has been in contact with Longford Tourism in relation to the event.

“Cairn Hill holds centuries of memory in its stone and soil. By caring for it properly and opening it responsibly to the public, we’re not just preserving a site — we’re honouring the people, stories, and seasonal rhythms that shaped this land,” said Hazel.

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“My hope is simply to see it respected, accessible, and remembered, so future generations can stand there and feel the same sense of belonging and wonder.

“It's all about connection, with the land, the community and our heritage. I feel that now more then ever, people need this in their lives. Feeling apart of something bigger myself, makes me feel happy and that's what I wish for my community also.”

Any applications for Stream 1, 2 and 3 are due before January 30, 2026. Further information about the schemes and applications can be found by contacting heritage@longfordcoco.ie.

Further information can also be available at: https://www.longfordlibrary.ie/heritage/heritage-funding/community-monuments-fund/