Opening hours for Lough Gur Heritage centre 2012

Opening hours for the Heritage centre at Lough Gur with effect from January 2012 and until end March

Sundays 12 noon to 5pm.

Opening hours will be extended from end March 2012 to open weekends and will open 6 days per week from May 2012. Hours may change depending on visitor demand....if you would like the centre open for a group tour contact 087 285 2022 and this may be facilitated.

Admission: Adults €3, children €2. Family tickets €10.

Guided walks may be arranged by contacting Micheal Quinlan 087 2739199

Contact 061 385186 for information on the Heritage Centre and guided walks.

The visitor centre includes an audio detailing the history of Lough Gur.

Refreshments available.

 

 

Lough Gur Heritage centre managed by Lough Gur Development

You may be aware that Lough Gur Development has recently taken over the management of the Heritage Centre at Lough Gur. This has been possible with the co-operation and assistance of Limerick County Council, Shannon Development, Shannon Heritage, Ballyhoura Development Ltd, Development Co-Op Staff, and the local community.

The centre was officially relaunched  on Saturday August 20th 2011 by Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs Mr Jimmy Deenihan.

 

Visitor Centre at Lough Gur

The Interpretive Centre The Interpretive Centre

The centre houses a number of display cases telling the story of the manufacture and use of flint and bronze material and their eventual deposition in the area as well as their recovery - whether as a result of scientific excavation or random finds.

There are replicas of Stone Age pottery as well as other artefacts depicting the lifestyles of the first inhabitants of Lough Gur.

Two further display cases house the following:

  • The replica of the Bronze Age Lough Gur Shield exhibited at the ‘Treasures of an Island’ exhibition in the Cognac Museum in 1997 and now on display in the National Museum in Dublin. 
  • The replicas of the Countess of Bath Chalice and Paten with which the church (situated on the lakeshore) was endowed shortly after its consecration for Anglican worship in the late 16th century.  

There are a total of 9 new information panels. Two of the panels are mounted on the side of the display cases and give information on archaeological research in Lough Gur.

A further 6 panels give information on the following:

  • Geology of the area 
  • Lough Gur Botany
  • Zoology of the area
  • Archaeology of Lough Gur
  • Celtic Festivals
  • Lough Gur Folklore  

The toilets at the main entrance at Lough Gur are managed by Limerick County Council. Should you have any comments or queries please contact Limerick County council 061 496367 or click here to be redirected to the Limerick County council website

The final panels deal with the social history of Lough Gur including famous local emigrants such as the parents ‘Honey’ Fitzgerald (Rose Kennedy’s father), Boss Croker and his influence on New York politics and Standish O’Grady, a barrister at the trial of Wolfe Tone.

Incidentally, it was during the course of excavation work at Lough Gur that John Hunt, Archaeologist and Art Historian, conceived the idea of recreating the crannog or lake-dwelling which is still visible from the Lake shore, and the concept led to the creation of the Craggaunowen ‘The Living Past.

 

 

Contact the Heritage centre at Lough Gur 061 385186