Watching the time go by

On the southwest-facing slope of a rocky hill overlooking Lough MacNean in Co Fermanagh lie the remains of a portal tomb. It is and was an important site - a monument to the dead.

Neolithic man probably hauled the large stone up on top of two upright stones using an earthen ramp constructed behind the chamber using levers and rollers. The monument has stood there for over 4,000 years, however time has taken its toll, and one stone has collapsed.

It has witnessed the Bronze Age, the Viking invasion and maybe even hid the fugitive lovers Diarmuid and Gráinne in Irish folklore, giving rise to its more common name of Diarmuid and Gráinne’s bed. Through the centuries it has seen generations go by, and it has survived the plantation of Ulster, the great famine and the agricultural revolution.

It is one of only two possible portal tombs left in Fermanagh. The other is in Tempo. It has been managed as an asset to the farm and as a testimony to the past, which will be there for future generations to enjoy.

For the last five years the farm has been managed under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) Scheme. The farm, with its abundant wild flowers, woodland and heather, is managed to sensitively protect these scarce and important habitats. As part of their scheme agreement, the Leonard family receive payments and advice so that they may continue to manage and protect the portal tomb and the other habitats on their land.

The portal tomb is just one of Fermanagh’s ancient monuments. Further up the road, a cashel lies in ruins beside a laneway that curves around a sharp bend rather than going straight through the cashel. Thanks to many farming families, these unique monuments have been kept from destruction through sensitive management. To date, over 1,100 monuments are being actively managed under DARD’s agri-environment schemes to prevent further deterioration.