LANDSCAPE

LIFE

LEGEND Introduction

The prospects for the promotion and growth of tourism within this Our third area of focus is the actual geology. We want to identify the region have been enhanced with the recent development of significant most significant sites of geological interest and develop interpretation projects. Geotourism is the latest initiative and the plans for the project and access to them. We will do this through significant collaboration, will hopefully evolve with others to result in a significant coordinated consultation and agreement and those sites of greatest significance can tourism product for the Mourne Mountains, Cooley Peninsula and Ring become part of the overall tourism product. of Gullion. People in this region of Mourne Cooley Gullion have a real sense of Geotourism is a unique product. It celebrates and promotes certain heritage and place. They are proud of the landscape they have inherited aspects of our region that make it special – its geology and the related and our project will be keen to respect that and to give them a sense of fields of archaeology, mythology and heritage. The landscape around belonging to the Geotourism initiative. us has shaped the way we live and work and in some ways, we have shaped it. We are fortunate to have availed of INTERREG funding and we shall endeavour to put it good use in developing one of the most significant The outstanding geological features and the beautiful landscape of the cogs of tourism for this region. region have attracted so much interest and attention over time and it is natural that we should want to develop tourism in a way that can have a social and economic benefit for the region. However, tourism should work for everyone – visitors, residents, farmers, businesses.

Our project has a focus on three areas. Tourism marketing will John Devaney compliment the work that it already ongoing through the tourism au- Geotourism Manager thorities, councils, local initiatives and regional and national government. We intend to have a presence within the industry and to enhance the profile of the region through roadshows, suites of marketing materials and the development of our brand.

In order to ensure that young people can have access to a greater understanding and appreciation of the landscape, geology, archaeology and heritage around them, our schools and summer programmes will work closely with teachers to design, develop and deliver opportunities for learning and field trips. We also intend to implement geotourism training opportunities for teachers, tour guides, conservation volunteers, those who work within the tourism sector and local authorities and the ‘The landscape around us has shaped the way we live and work, general public so as to enhance understanding of geo and tourism and in some ways, we have helped to shape it.’ issues and to perhaps develop our own Geo-Ambassadors. Tourism in the Region What is Geotourism?

Of the many areas of outstanding natural beauty across and The Cooley Peninsula is a hilly peninsula in , which Geotourism is probably best defined as a form of natural area tourism It involves the community. Local businesses and civic groups join to these islands, the region that covers the Mourne Mountains, Ring of includes towns such as , Carlingford and . It is 20 that specifically focuses on landscape and geology. It promotes tourism provide a distinctive, authentic visitor experience. Gullion and Cooley Pensinsula is exceptional. And yet, few know of the minutes drive from Town. In Cooley was the to geosites and the conservation of geo-diversity and an real treasure within. This is an area rich in geology, archaeology, home of the bull Donn Cúailnge, and the site of the Táin Bó Cúailnge understanding of Earth sciences through appreciation and learning. It informs both visitors and hosts. Residents discover their own mythology, history and heritage and now this new project aims to or Cattle Raid of Cooley. Ancient monuments in Cooley include the This can be achieved through the promotion of geological features, use heritage by learning that things they take for granted may be interesting promote this wonderful landscape. Proleek Dolmen, whose capstone weighs an estimated 46 tons (46.7 of geo-trails and viewpoints, guided tours, geo-activities. to outsiders. As local people develop pride and skill in showing off their tonnes), and a Bronze Age gallery grave, both near Ballymascanlon. locale, tourists get more out of their visit. The natural connections between the three core parts of our region can Travellers can visit neolithic tombs such as the Proleek dolmen and Geotourism aims to sustain or enhance the geological and geographical now be brought together as one tourism destination. Here, the tourist Clontygora court grave, walk in the footsteps of the legendary character of the place being visited, including its environment, culture, It benefits residents economically. Travel businesses hire local will find plenty to see and do. And the recent development of new Cúchulainn, discover the Viking settlement and the Norman fortification aesthetics, heritage and well-being of its residents. Of central impor- workers and use local services, products, and supplies. When community tourism related initiatives and attractions has opened up new potential – all of which add to the charm of this magical island. The area also tance is the ‘sense of place’, with an emphasis on the distinctiveness of members understand the benefits of geotourism, they take responsibility for developing the area as a significant destination. hosts the Táin march and the Thomas D’Arcy Magee Summer School as its locale and benefit visitor and resident alike. Geotourists are conscious for destination stewardship. well as the National Poc Fada competition. The area won the prestigious of the environment and inclined to seek culture and unique experiences The Mournes stand true to the words of songwriter Percy French as title of Ireland’s ‘European Destination of Excellence’ (EDEN) Award when they travel. It supports integrity of place. Destination-savvy travellers seek out the place ‘where the mountains sweep down to the sea’. They are not in 2008. businesses that emphasize the character of the locale. In return, local only one of Ireland’s most scenic areas and an Area of Outstanding Ireland and the UK can boast a very rich diversity of geology. It is our stakeholders who receive economic benefits appreciate and protect the Natural Beauty, they are quite simply an adventurer’s paradise from The region is well known for its tourism potential. In recent times a landscapes that have drawn visitors from across the world. There are value of those assets. Newcastle and its beaches to Slieve Donard, Spelga Dam and the Silent number of initiatives have come about that will naturally aid the existing examples of Geotourism on the island of Ireland – the Giants Valley. Here the visitor will find a range of geological sites of interest development of the region as a significant tourism destination: Causeway on the north coast, Burren and the Cliffs of Moher in It means great trips. Enthusiastic visitors bring home new knowledge. and plenty of activity and attractions where dozens of granite peaks are Co Clare and the Marble Arch Global Geopark in Co Fermanagh are Their stories encourage friends and relatives to experience the same squeezed into an area only 15 miles by 8 all giving outstanding views. 1. Destination Mourne marketing campaign three such examples. thing, which brings continuing business for the destination. 2. Mourne Coastal Route The Ring of Gullion is a unique geological landform, unparalleled else- 3. Carlingford Coastal Route The future of tourism in Ireland is inextricably linked to the quality of where in Ireland or the UK and was the first ring dyke in the world to be 4. Mountain Bike Trails at Rostrevor and Castlewellan the environment, its geology, scenic landscapes, coastline, rivers and lakes geologically mapped. The ring of low, rugged hills forms a 5. Landscape Partnership Projects at Ring of Gullion and in the and cultural heritage are the bedrock upon which tourism has been built. ‘rampart’ around the heather-clad Slieve Gullion mountain. Rich Mourne Mountains The competitiveness of the tourism industry here can only be grown if semi-wild habitats of heath, bog and woodland contrast with the neatly the quality of these resources is maintained and enhanced. patterned fields and ladder farms. Slieve Gullion’s mysterious reputa- Known one of Ireland’s outstanding outdoor playgrounds, the region tion arises from its associations with legends and the wider area’s rich offers a wide range of attractions and adventures to mountain and hill Geotourism is synergistic: All the elements of geographical character archaeological heritage. The area sits to the north of the border and it climbers, walkers and trekkers. work together to create a tourist experience that is richer than the sum shares many landscape characteristics with the adjacent area of County of its parts, appealing to visitors with diverse interests. Louth. Geology of Mourne Cooley Gullion

The Mourne Cooley Gullion region represents over 400 million years of are difficult to decipher and usually are the cause of much research and geological history and tracks Ireland’s journey from south of the equator debate. The presence of three complexes in the Mourne Cooley Gullion to its present location through a diversity of tectonic regimes. region adds to its geological value but it makes it difficult to explain in a few words. The oldest of the three is Cooley and forms its mountainous Silurian centre. It is a series of magma extrusives (volcanic) and intrusives with The oldest rocks exposed in this region belong to a sedimentary sequence rock types varying basalts and gabbros to granites. Intrusive means the known as the Longford-Down Terrane. These rocks are found in the liquid rock cooled below the surface of the earth and never extruded or lowlands of Co. Down and on the north coast of the Cooley peninsula, flowed onto the surface. The final phase in the Carlingford complex was Co. Louth. At the time of their deposition, one tectonic plate was being the intrusion of a cone sheet now exposed as a dykes in the Silurian and subducted beneath another at the closure of the Iapetus Ocean. The Carboniferous sediments dipping towards the main igneous body. The Iapetus Ocean divided the continents of Laurentia to the north and Slieve Gullion Complex followed the main events of the Carlingford Avalonia to the south. These sediments were deposited in a marine Complex. The whole Gullion Complex was emplaced into the Silurian environment above the subduction zone, very like sediments currently Newry granodiorite and the chemistry of these Silurian rocks probably deposited along the west coast of South America. Sediments form layers added to the complexity of the Palaeogene rocks. The Ring Dyke which are they accumulate but these were also folded as soft sediments before is exposed as a ring of hills surrounding Slieve Gullion is older then Slieve they became rocks and are now exposed as vertical beds throughout the Gullion. The Ring Dyke shows evidence of extrusive (volcanic) and region. intrusive rocks while Slieve Gullion is a layered intrusive body. The final stage of the Gullion Complex was the intrusion of a granite now exposed With continued subduction and collision, the continental crust above the in Ravensdale and Clermont. Finally, the youngest rocks in the region subducting plate melts and intrudes into higher levels of the crust. The are the Mourne granites, intruded as five granites, four of which can be igneous body known as the Newry Granite (granodiorite), found from subdivided according to chemistry variations. The granites are classified Forkhill, Co. Armagh to Slieve Croob, Co. Down, formed in this way. as G1 to G5 with G1-G3 exposed in the eastern Mournes and G4-G5 Its outcrop pattern is linear and follows the trend of the Longford-Down in the western Mournes. The Mourne granites intruded into the Silurian Terrane. The Longford-Down terrane has this name as the same rocks are Longford-Down Terrane sediments and the contact between the two is found from Co. Longford to Co. Down and continue into Scotland where well exposed in many places. The main intrusions are surrounded by a they are known as the Southern Uplands Terrane. cone sheet which is well exposed at Glassdrumman beach.

Carboniferous Quaternary During the Carboniferous period, Ireland was in the tropics and covered The landscape as we know it was formed in response to geological by warm, clear waters, typical of current tropical waters of the Caribbean. processes occurring in the last 17,000 years. At the last glacial maximum, This lead to the development of coral reef systems which are now the region was covered in a blanket of ice and its retreat revealed the preserved as the fossil-rich limestones of the south and east Cooley current shape of the earth or geomorphology. The hard igneous rocks peninsula and at Cranfield in south Co. Down. of the Carlingford, Gullion and Mourne Mountain Complexes were more resistant to ice erosion than the surrounding sediments and so have Palaeogene remained as highlands. The ice also deposited its sediment load in the This geological period is probably the one most associated with the lowlands in the form of drumlins west of the Mournes and till on the Mourne Cooley Gullion region as it is the age of the Mourne Mountain Mourne Plain and along the Cooley south and east coasts. The most Comple, the Slieve Gullion Complex and the Carlingford Complex. They obvious result of glacial erosion is the valley cut from Lough Neagh to are all igneous bodies associated with the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. . When geological systems are given the name ‘Complex’, it is because they Archaeology of the Region Origins of the Project

Palaeolithic Early Medieval The idea for a Geotourism Project in Mourne-Cooley-Gullion was first From 2008, consideration was given to an application for INTERREG Ireland was one of the final regions of prehistoric Europe to be The Early Medieval Period, also commonly referred to as the Early developed by the Mourne Geology and Archaeology Group (MGAG) IVA funding for a Geotourism project which was finally secured for colonized by humans. The earliest phase of human prehistory is Christian Period is very well represented in the Mourne Cooley - an informal group of geologists and archaeologists with an interest commencement of the project in 2012. known as the Palaeolithic Period, or, the ‘Old Stone Age’ and Gullion Geotourism region. Lasting from the year 400AD-1000AD particularly in the Mournes. This group presented a paper titled ‘The stretches from about 2.5 million years ago until about 10,000BC. it was the era of Christian missionaries and monastic expansion Geo-tourism potential of granite in North-East Ireland’ at the Second The development of the project has benefitted from specific local There is no evidence for human habitation in Ireland throughout this in Ireland. The numerous ringforts which dot the landscape in the UNESCO Geoparks Conference held on Belfast in September 2006. research, including an audit of important earth science sites which period. Mournes, Cooley and Gullion three date to this period. Life, politics culminated in the publication of A Geological Field Guide to Cooley, Gullion, and religion were all recorded in the Irish Annals by monastic Mourne Heritage Trust subsequently raised the concept with partner Mourne and Slieve Croob by Saebh Baxter in 2008. Mesolithic scholars. They documented the terrifying advance of the Viking The first indications of human settlement in Ireland occur in the invasions which began in Ireland in the late 8th century. They also organisations and local authorities. The early stages were driven by Mesolithic Period, also referred to as the ‘Middle Stone Age’, which recorded Viking activity in Carlingford Lough and raids on the Martin Carey and Brendan McSherry who still maintain a strong lasted from 7000 to 4000 BC. The humans of this era have been monastery at Cornamucklagh, in Omeath. Not many people are participation in the project. categorized as ‘hunter gatherers’, they lived in small dispersed aware that a high cross and a round tower were constructed at settlements, often close to the shoreline, and used stone tools and Faughart during this period. The sites at Killevy and Kilnasaggart in The Mourne Cooley Gullion Geotourism Project was identified as a implements. Archaeological evidence dating to the Mesolithic can Gullion, and St. Bronagh’s Church in Rostrevor also date to the early strategic cross border project in the 2009 ICLRD Report “The be difficult to detect, however flint scatters and middens discovered medieval period, as does the Finnissouterrain in the Mournes. Newry-Dundalk Twin City Region supports the involvement of cross in Cooley, at Rockmarshall, indicate the presence of our prehistoric border collaborative frameworks”. ancestors throughout this period. Later Medieval The Later Medieval Period in Ireland saw the arrival of the A project team was established informally, with staff from MHT, RoSA Neolithic Anglo-Normans in 1169. The activity of John de Courcy in Cooley and Louth County Council meeting jointly for the first time on 1 ugustA The advent of the Neolithic Period, or the ‘New Stone Age’, which and South Down in the 1170s, followed by the arrival of the Hugh 2006 and obtained expert advice and input from Geological Survey of lasted from 4000-2500BC, saw the introduction of farming and the de Lacy in Louth in the 1180s ultimately resulted in the construction Ireland and Geological Survey of . Newry and Mourne domestication of animals as well as the genesis of new of two of the most iconic medieval monuments of the Geotourism District Council became part of this group from March 2007 and technological advances. These new ideas resulted in the design new region; King John’s Castle at Carlingford and the impressive became active participants to work up the project. The group were then tools and weapons as well as the construction of impressive stone fortification at Greencastle. This was also a period of religious extended to include Banbridge and Down District Councils. monuments such as court-tombs, passage-tombs, wedge-tombs and development and settlement with communities of Cistercians, portal-tombs (more commonly known as dolmens). Perhaps the Dominicans active throughout Mourne Cooley and Gullion. Even the In October 2006 the Louth County Council Heritage Officer presented most famous Irish example of this period of monument is the Order of the Knights Templar made their way as far as Cooley, the concept to the Newry-Dundalk Joint Councils Committee, which passage tomb at Newgrange which is possibly older than the establishing a presence in Carlingford and Templetown. endorsed it as potentially a significant vehicle for sustainable economic Egyptian Pyramids. This exciting phase of archaeology is also very Construction work at some earlier medieval sites, such as Faughart development and enhanced branding of the wider Newry and Dundalk well represented in Cooley by monuments such as the and Killevy continued throughout this period. Fortified tower houses Twin City Region. Proleek Dolmen and wedge-tomb, the Ravensdale court and passage sprung up at sites such as Ballug in Cooley in response to the tombs, and the Rockmarshall court tomb. In the Mournes this era of unsettled political atmosphere of the time. Two tower houses were The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a strategic alliance construction is typified by the Kilfeaghan and Legannany built within the town walls of Carlingford, The Mint and Taaffe’s between Newry and Mourne District Council and the Louth Local dolmens, while in Gullion the Ballykeel Dolmen, and the Slieve Castle, and even the Dominican Priory here shows evidence of Authorities which seeks to support and promote the economic Gullion passage tomb along with the Annaghmare, Ballymacdermott fortification, a true testament to the fact that Cooley lay on the development and competitiveness of the region. The cooperation and Clontygora court tombs indicate extensive Neolithic activity in periphery of the Pale. Tower house construction continued into the themes are Emergency Planning, Renewable Energy and Green this region. In fact the subsequent construction of a Bronze Age Early Modern period and perhaps the most notable surviving Technology, Tourism and Recreation and Sustainable Economic Growth Cairn at Slieve Gullion indicates that the symbolic significance of examples are to be found at Narrow Water, which was constructed in these sites endured through generations of human settlement. the 1560s, and at Moyry Castle which dates to around 1603. and Job Creation. Meet the Team Our Project Partners

The staff of the Geotourism project are employed through Newry and Mourne District Council and are based at the McGrath Centre in Newry. Geotourism is a fine example of regional collaboration. There are six Banbridge District Council recently opened its impressive Tourist John Devaney Anne Kelly organisations, including four local authorities, involved in the overall Information Centre and has a central role in promoting a range of Geotourism Manager Marketing and Publicity Officer management of the project. tourism attractions such as Slieve Croob, the Bronte Interpretive Centre, Scarva Visitor Centre and Corbet Lough. As part of the Review of A native of Co Longford, John now lives in Downpatrick. The tourism and project marketing is a key element of the East Border Region Ltd is the lead agency and has a similar role inthe Public Administration, Banbridge will amalgamate with Armagh and He has a BA and a law degree from Queen’s University Geotourism project. Anne is a graduate of the University management of other INTERREG funded enterprise, tourism, Craigavon. Belfast and has worked in management roles with the of and has a BA (Hons) Leisure, Events and environment and collaboration projects in the region. EBR is one of North-South Confederation of Councillors, Cultural Management degree and and an MSc in Marketing five local authority led cross border networks on the Ireland/Northern Mourne Heritage Trust was established in 1997 andprovides for the Washington-Ireland Programme and Queen’s University. He also worked and Entrepreneurship. She also attained a Level 4 Certificate in Further Ireland border. It comprises ten local authorities, Newry and Mourne, management of theMourne and Slieve Croob Area of Outstanding with the Office of Legislation at the Department of Energy in Education Teaching. Anne has professional experience in marketing Down and Banbridge District Councils, Armagh City and District Natural Beauty. It is a community based organisation and registered Washington DC. John had previously worked with Newry and Mourne through the McAvoy Group, Cookstown Panel Centre, Southern Area Council, Craigavon, Ards and North Down Borough Councils in charity with a board representing a range of local stakeholders District Council as a Project Officer with Challenge of Change and with Hospice Services and South West College. Northern Ireland and Louth, Monaghan and Meath County Councils in including, farmers and landowners, environment, tourism, business, the Policing and Community Safety Partnership before joining the She has completed three marathons and a self-guided world tour in 2008. the . education, community representative and local elected representatives. Geotourism initiative last September. The focus of the Trust is on Natural Environment Enhancement and Dr Siobhán Power Newry and Mourne District Council are the management agency and Protection, Visitor Management and Visitor Services, Built and Cultural Dr Vanessa Ryan Geologist have responsibility for accommodating the project, the employment of Heritage and Sustainable Tourism. Administrative Assistant and Archaeologist staff and the management of finance. The council area can boast Siobhán graduated from NUI Galway with B.Sc and dramatic landscapes in the famous Mountains of Mourne with a The District Councils of Newry and Mourne, Banbridge and Down and Vanessa leads the administration and finance within the PhD in Geology and spent two years as a post-doctoral beautiful coastline, stone walls and patchwork green field; the modern, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board have responsibility for the Geotourism team. With a first class honours degree in researcher and visiting lecturer at the University of Iowa. vibrant city of Newry with ancient roots and a rich industrial and Destination Mourne initiative and they aim to identify the next steps for history and a doctorate in Medieval Archaeology from Her time in Iowa included seven weeks at 78° North in NE historical heritage; and the Ring of Gullion, beautiful undulating tourism development and growth in the Mournes and wider area, which Trinity College Dublin, she also brings expertise in Greenland. Since returning to Europe in 2005, she has worked as a countryside famed for its rich cultural heritage and numerous prehistoric includes the whole of the Newry & Mourne and Banbridge areas, as well archaeology to the project. Vanessa’s thesis examined patterns of medieval lecturer in Geology and as the Science Faculty Research-informed and early Christian sites. as a significant part of Down District Council’s area. ecclesiastical settlement on the Cooley Peninsula and she has produced Teaching co-ordinator at Liverpool John Moores University, and as a and delivered papers on medieval archaeology within the region. She has science leader (Greenland 2009) and Chief Scientist (Norway 2012) with Louth County Council previously worked for Trinity College, Dublin Tourism, Louth County the British Schools Exploration Society. Siobhán is a Fellow of the Higher may cover Ireland’s smallest county, but it is a Museum and Newry and Mourne Council Tourism. Education Academy. place rich in history, myth, legends, fun and adventure. It boasts long sandy beaches, vibrant towns and legendary and historic sites. Within Alison Henderson the Cooley Peninsula, two tourism and heritage signature projects are the Education Officer Táin March which takes place each June from Ardee to Carlingford and the Thomas D’Arcy Magee Festival. Alison is from Coleraine and she will lead the schools programmes and training opportunities. She graduated Down District Council will amalgamate with Newry and Mourne from Bangor University with a BSc Oceanography and by under the new local authorities structure. At present, the district Exeter University with a PGCE. Alison has a wide and encompasses two areas of outstanding natural beauty – the Mournes varied work experience in Earth Science with the National Trust at the and Strangford &. This is St Patrick’s Country where the visitor is Causeway Coast and Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre on the Jurassic invited to wander in his footsteps, explore the grandeur of the Mournes, Coast in Dorset. She spent the majority of her teaching career at breathe the salt air of Strangford, or feel the sand between your toes on Bishopstrow College in Wiltshire, teaching science to international the beaches of Newcastle. students of all ages. The Project Plan The specific targets for the project are broken into three areas – Tourism Marketing, Education & Outreach and Geology. Marketing: This project will create a high quality visitor experience and identity Enhanced interpretation of the special geological and related based primarily on the internationally important geology at the heart of 3 qualities for visitors. 1 Develop an inclusive and coherent project specific logo and brand. the region. Firstly the exceptional landscape of the Mourne, Cooley and 2 Design and develop a promotional website at www.mournecooleygullion.com with a target of hits per annum. The project will avail of online marketing Gullion uplands will be matched with high quality visitor infrastructure, Enhanced services for visitors and education groups including opportunities and will have a strong presence on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets. servicing and marketing, allowing it to take advantage of its strategic visitor information, guided tours, educational materials etc.. location straddling the Belfast/Dublin road and rail routes as a hub for 4 3 Create a comprehensive suite of marketing materials and targeted actions. ‘Geotourism’. Enhanced awareness among local communities of the geological 4 Create a suite of visitor servicing information. The project is part-financed by the European Union’s European 5 and related heritage and how it has shaped local culture as well 5 Develop partnerships with existing tourism, activity or heritage related events within the Mourne Cooley Gullion region and develop Geotourism-specific Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVA as of the potential for nature tourism based on the special events. Cross-Border Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes qualities. 6 Establish Mourne Cooley Gullion as a destination brand through a roadshow marketing presence at a range of events, shows and exhibitions across Ireland. Body. Our budget of STG£1.4m will finance the project to June 2015. 7 Develop a project advertising campaign. Better opportunities for local entrepreneurs to promote their The project staff are employed through Newry and Mourne District tourism, craft and food/drink products by relating them to a 8 Produce and circulate quarterly newsletters from Summer 2013. Council who act as the Management Agency. 6 strong brand. 9 Design and develop a promotional DVD/Film.

We will aim to promote the area’s natural landscape, geology and related 10 Establish a database and a photographic archive of sites and locations of interest in Mourne, Cooley and Gullion. heritage and culture (which will link to a range of heritage, culture and Increased local employment and environmentally friendly recreational based activities) with a view to increasing visitor numbers, 7 economic development. enhancing the tourism potential and contributing towards people’s appreciation of the beautiful landscape around them. Specific marketing collateral and activity for the Mourne Cooley Education and Outreach: 8 Gullion landscape area and network of natural resource based Our work will include public education/consultation, access tourism sites across the East Border Region. infrastructure, interpretation materials, events & tours, and targeted 1 Audit the region’s educational resources and identify issues to be covered in the educational and outreach plan. marketing initiatives and it will closely integrate tourism development Integration of the marketing of the Mourne Cooley Gullion area 2 Implement a schools programme (primary and second level) across the region, including school visits, projects, resource packs and field trips. with conservation and education. with that of a range of other attractions equipped to cater for 9 3 Develop a series of Rock Camp Summer Schemes in all three areas. The anticipated impact and lasting legacy of the the Geotourism project and take advantage of the type of visitors received. 4 Provide Geology training opportunities for teachers across the region. will relate primarily to the following: A strong recognition and raised profile for the 5 Develop a network of relationships with regional, national and international colleges and universities. A long term agreed sustainable strategy for the development and Mourne-Cooley-Gullion area as a significant and coherent 10 6 Provide a series of Geotourism training programmes for tour guides, conservation volunteers and members of the public. 1 management of Geotourism and Geo-heritage within the region. tourism destination and further dispersal of visitors attracted by this throughout the wider region. 7 Establish a Geo-Ambassadors and Conservation Volunteer Service. Enhanced access to the special geological and related 8 Conduct a programme of public awareness raising and consultation meetings and events. qualities (landscape, cultural heritage, activities) through new and 2 9 Liaise with the local communities, including farmers, landowners and tourism industry operators. improved visitor infrastructure – trails, car parks etc.. 10 Facilitate guided tours, field trips, visits by tour groups and educational and interest groups. Geology:

1 Complete a comprehensive audit of sites of geological, cultural and natural interest in the Mourne Cooley Gullion areas and an assessment of their condition (including safety, parking, interpretation etc)

2 Establish an agreed shortlist of sites for development and implement a prioritised work plan for improvement of access infrastructure including new and enhanced paths, parking, information and signage.

3 Implement an interpretation strategy.

4 Integrate developed Geo-sites within the tourism marketing strategy.

5 Develop strategic partnerships with academic staff and students of Geology and related fields within regional, national and international colleges and universities.

The Steering Committee

The management of the project rests with the staff and the members of the Steering Committee.

Gerard McGivern (Chairman), Director of District Development with Newry and Mourne District Council. Michael Curran, Director of Cross Border and Economic Development with Louth County Council. Mark Mohan, Senior Tourism Initiatives Officer with Down District Council. John Douglas, Tourism Manager with Banbridge District Council. Pamela Arthurs, Chief Executive of the East Border Region Ltd. Dette Hughes, Programme Manager with East Border Region Ltd. Martin Carey, Chief Executive of Mourne Heritage Trust. Brendan McSherry, Heritage Officer with Louth County Council. Darren Rice, Landscape Partnership Manager with Ring of Gullion AONB. Jonathan McGilly, Assistant Director of District Development with Newry and Mourne District Council. Dr Kirstin Lemon, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. Dr Patrick O’Connor, Consultant Geologist and former Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland. www.apexdesign.uk.com

This project is part-financed by European Union’s INTERREG IVA Cross-Border Programme, which is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

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Mourne Cooley Gullion Newry and Mourne District Council, McGrath Centre, Margaret Street, Newry, Co. Down BT34 1BP Tel: 028 30 256650 www.mournecooleygullion.com