This is an excellent idea and congratulations to all those who got together to make this happen. Too often in the recent past we have destroyed ring forts and bulldozed sites regardless of their deep historical significance. In the West of Ireland, where the land is poorer from an agricultural point of view, many more have survived. We should appreciate what has been almost accidentally spared to us and protect them while making best use of them to show off our past and heritage. This archaeological trail will join a growing number of other tourist trails around Mayo that provide focal points for walkers, cyclists and drivers of course who come here to see our (still?) beautiful countryside. The sculpture trail Tir Saile is a great tourist attraction across North Mayo but of course it is all modern (some very modern) pieces albeit some of them located close to archaeological sites like that at Downpatrick Head. By bringing attention to these ancient artefacts, the new archaeological trail may also help to protect thousands of other historical sites. It may also make us think twice about spoiling the countryside that surrounds them by allowing Spanish haciendas to be built here there and everywhere. It may also counteract the trend of blocking access with no trespassing signs. Our past belongs to us all not just the owner of the field where a standing stone, ring fort, mass rock or other national monument happens to be located. In the United States anything more than 150 years old is valued as precious by dint of its age. In Europe and in Ireland in particular we have taken our past too much for granted. Apart from the intrinsic value of our archaeological heritage it also has a commercial side. They used to say that you can’t eat scenery, but tourism is now the single biggest revenue earner in the country – the new Clew Bay Archaeology Trail will help to put bread on the table so to speak in many a household along the fringes of Clew Bay adding to the reasons for people to visit this part of the world.

An interesting, if opportunistic, response to the Volex wind-down. While it smacks of vultures picking over the bones it undoubtedly may be of interest – especially the fact they say there are 84 jobs already available in Castlebar. Looking through the site most of the jobs seem to be of a highly skilled nature and quite a wide variety from engineering to accounts to scientific and technical plus of course telesales. Not many in the telecoms sector though!