The Binevenagh Townlands and Fieldnames Project was launched last Thursday at the MOD Training Centre, Magilligan, Limavady.
The townland is a unique feature of the Irish landscape and is one of the most ancient divisions in the country. There are approximately 62,000 townlands in Ireland and great variations are evident in townland sizes due to the fact that their shapes and sizes are related to local landscape and farming practices.
The origin of the townland remains obscure, they existed long before the parishes and counties and up until recently the townland was commonly used for postal address purposes. They often take their names from local landscape features. Given the natural vegetation of the island many townlands take their names from local trees and plants. Field Names also offer a window into the past of our landscape and are part of our culture. The aim of this project is to record and present the ‘Townlands’ & ‘Field Names’ of Binevenagh AONB along with their history, folklore and relevant information.
The project will be touring the Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the near future, keep an eye on our Events Calendar for future locations.