For more than five thousand years, Knock Iveagh (Cnoc Uí Echach) in County Down has been a sacred site of national historical and cultural significance. Freely accessible under common law, the hill is an ancient place of assembly aligned with the path of the sun and other hills in the surrounding Ulster landscape. Since September 2017, that access has been blocked, the cairn (a scheduled historic monument) threatened and the hill itself damaged. After a defective planning process, construction of a wind turbine and associated infrastructure was carried out without consultation and with no environmental impact assessment. In this episode, we talk with Anne Harper, local resident, professional musician and storyteller who, with other allies, has been researching the area and campaigning persistently against the flawed planning process and the administrative inertia that continues to blight this beloved place.
Credits
Knock Iveagh, composed and performed by Anne Harper
The Ardbrin trumpet (replica) courtesy of Simon and Maria O’Dwyer of Ancient Music Ireland
Links and Resources
‘Breathing Life into the Embers at Knock Iveagh: The Importance of Community Guardianship in Protecting Heritage at Risk.’ Presentation to the Ulster Archaeological Society by Arlene Copeland, Emma Grossmith, Anne Harper, and Veronica Kelly (The Friends of Knock Iveagh) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLteI3_AQ3M
Kelly, Eammon P. 2020. “Knock Iveagh and Drumballyroney, Co. Down: investigation of a royal ritual landscape”, Emania, 25, 113-135." by Eamonn P Kelly
Knock Iveagh: A personal narrative on a changing landscape Posted on 20th February 2022 By Claire Nolan – interview with Anne Harper https://research.reading.ac.uk/changing-landscapes/knock-iveagh-a-personal-narrative-on-a-changing-landscape/
Northern Ireland Audit Office. 2022. Planning in Northern Ireland. https://www.niauditoffice.gov.uk/publications/planning-northern-ireland
Save Knock Iveagh https://saveknockiveagh.weebly.com/
The Friends of Knock Iveagh are campaigning for the removal of the unlawful wind turbine development, and for the site to be taken into State Care, and they are asking supporters to sign and share this online petition: https://chng.it/pGrSBNtg
The Sound of an Iron Age trumpet returns to Knock Iveagh after 2,000 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drTYCVpSXvg

Ver todos los episodios