Ancient Clans – Our Shared Heritage
The Ancient Clans website aims to share heritage sites to encourage people to visit and understand our rich shared history, heritage and culture.
The project began as the result of a cross border project between Mid Ulster District Council and Donegal County Council funded through EU PEACE IV funding.
It shared heritage sites in Donegal and Mid Ulster and are now extending it to include heritage sites connected to our ancient history and heritage in Northern Ireland and Ireland.
A new project “PEACEPLUS Cross Border Heritage Project” is a 3 year programme (October 2025 – October 2028) funded under PEACEPLUS continues to build connections in Mid Ulster, Donegal and Monaghan through Mid Ulster District Council and managed by The Rural Centre.
Ancient Clans website
Walk in their footsteps
Visit the Ancient Clan website to discover heritage sites
The Battle of Benburb – We produced a short video telling the story of The Battle of Benburb 1646 … here is a short trailer. View the full video of the Battle of Benburb
Background to the Ancient Clans Project
This project began to facilitate links between Mid Ulster District Council, Donegal County Council and local groups through visits to sites with shared heritage of the O’Neills, other ancient Clans and the Plantation of Ulster.
Activities
- Research into heritage of the O’Neill, Ancient clans and Plantation: explore the ‘flight’ of the Earls which took place from Rathmullan, Co Donegal; the ‘Earls’ came from both Donegal and Dungannon. This event along with the subsequent Plantation of Ulster, had huge significance in our history.
- Visits to Heritage Sites: Such as Hill of The O’Neill and Tullaghogue Fort, Rathmullen and An Griananan of Aileach as other sites suggested by local groups.
- Heritage Weekends: in both Mid Ulster and Donegal to celebrate the launch of the project and link to existing heritage events in each area.
- Ancient Clans website: Development of cross border interactive trail to create a cross border trail of heritage sites of the Ancient clans of Ulster and Plantation.
- Ancient Clan Study Visits a list of heritage site visits that took place in Mid Ulster and Donegal.
Heather McLaughlin Project Coordinator, with history and heritage members on visits to heritage sites in Donegal and Mid Ulster
Supported through Mid Ulster District Council Good Relations Grant 2024/25
