People are being invited toxa0help create a new medieval heritage trail in County Down as part ofxa0Beyond Westeros,xa0a European Year of Culture andxa0Heritage project.
The trail willxa0includexa0many of the filmxa0locationsxa0used in the television series Game of Thrones and its Kingdom of Westeros, but will tell the true, blood soaked and power crazed stories that marked the lives of Ulster’s twelve medieval, ruling lordshipsxa0and thexa0south eastern dynastiesxa0of the Magennises, Dunleaveys, Savages, O’Neills and de Courcys.
Caroline Nolan, manager of the Strangford LOugh and Lecale Partnership, said: “Comexa0along to Portaferryxa0Market Housexa0onxa0Wed 13 Feb,xa07- 8.30pmxa0xa0toxa0hear incredible tales of the bloody rivalries, intrigue and power fuelled marriages of thexa0overlord families such asxa0the Magennises, Dunleaveys, Savages, O’Neills and de Courcys, told by Dr Colm Donnelly from Queensxa0University Belfast and Dr John O’Keefe from the Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities.
“You can also give your views onxa0proposals for a new visitor tourxa0of our medieval monasteries, castles, tower houses, landscape and filming locations, and put your name down for axa0free trial run!xa0 xa0 xa0 xa0
“Beyond Westeros xa0will tell thexa0story ofxa0the fighting captains and settings that helped inspire the Kingdom of Westeros in the global phenomenon that is the Game of Thrones (GoT).xa0Beyond Westerosxa0will develop a Roadmap for Northernxa0Ireland’s first medieval trail, led by Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), working with the Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnership (SLLP), and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Tourism Northern Ireland.
“Such a trail would leave axa0lasting legacy from the huge rise in visits to heritage sites used as GOT locations.xa0The project will also enhance work being undertaken by Historic Environment Division to improve visitor access and community engagement with some sites inxa0their care in the area, and they will be closely involved throughout.
“It is hoped that in thexa0future local communities will be able to use and benefit from the extraordinary,xa0rich built heritage on their doorstep andxa0that in particular local businesses,xa0artisans, tour guides and the hospitality industry willxa0all be involved inxa0the development and promotionxa0of our medieval heritage.”
