Minister Lyons launches Defence Heritage Record for Northern Ireland

The Historic Environment Record of Northern Ireland (HERoNI) within the Department for Communities (DfC) has spent the past two years carrying out intensive field research to identify and record the sites. The launch comes shortly after Armistice Day and the new resource is a fitting reminder of Northern Ireland’s place in 20th century global events which shaped history.

Mr Lyons says the resource will be of immense interest to academics, researchers and any members of the public keen to learn more about our history from this era.

He commented: “Dotted around our countryside and coast are sites we pass every day, often unaware of their significance. From the search lights on the Belfast to Bangor coastal path to the pill boxes on the North Coast, or the airfields hidden in our landscape, these sites are important heritage assets which tell the story of Northern Ireland’s vital contribution to these conflicts.

“This new record is an important historical resource which has recorded these sites for posterity as some may be vulnerable to decay or destruction. The work has also identified some of the most important, rare and best-preserved sites as warranting statutory protection as Scheduled Historic Monuments or listed buildings, ensuring their longer-term survival.”

The Defence Heritage Record is fully accessible to everyone through DfC’s online Historic Environment Map viewer www.communities-ni.gov.uk/services/historic-environment-map-viewer

The department is also launching an information guide to provide background information and explain the features found within the record. This can be found at www.communities-ni.gov.uk/publications/defence-heritage-record-survey-project-2020-24