The State has bought the world-renowned Poulnabrone portal dolmen in the Burren, Co Clare, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, confirmed yesterday.
The dolmen, along with 16 acres, was bought from a local landowner for a reported £300,000, making it easily the most expensive deal for land containing exposed limestone pavement in the Burren.
According to Ms de Valera, she had been trying for a number of years to acquire the lands on behalf of the State. She said that she was "overjoyed that the purchase of the lands at Poulnabrone has now been concluded".
The Minister said: "Poulnabrone is one of the most significant symbols of our built heritage, and the future care and preservation of the dolmen and its environs can now be secured for the benefit of Clare, the nation and future generations. All people with an interest in Irish history, culture and heritage will welcome this news."
More than 100,000 people visit the megalithic tomb annually and, according to Ms de Valera, the purchase would allow her Department to manage visitor access and circulation around the site in a way that would be compatible with the protection and preservation of the significant national monument.
The landowner, Mr Tommy Byrnes, of Newtown, Ballyvaughan, said yesterday he was "lonely parting with the dolmen, but happy now that the State will be able to give it adequate protection. It is in good hands".
Mr Byrnes said: "Down the years the dolmen has been abused by some tourists standing and walking on it, while some graffiti has been scraped on to it. It caused me some heartache, because trying to offer it satisfactory protection was impossible, as it would mean being there 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
During the summer the narrow road near the dolmen is often blocked by coaches parked on both sides of the road.
Poulnabrone ("the hole of the sorrows") is understood to be 5,800 years old. In 1986, excavation work by D·chas, the Heritage Service, discovered a burial chamber below the dolmen containing the remains of at least 22 people: 16 adults and six children buried at the site between 3,800BC and 3,200BC.
The excavation took place when a decision was made to conserve the monument after one of the stones was cracked beyond repair. This was replaced by a stone cut from nearby limestone pavement.
The deterioration was thought to be have been caused in part by visitors standing on top of the monument.
According to Mr Byrnes, a car park has been marked out on his former lands as part of a visitor management strategy.
A spokesman for the Minister said that a proposed management plan was being drawn up and would be published shortly to allow for consultation.
An Taisce's national environment officer, Ms Shirley Clerkin, expressed concern that any solution to the visitor management issues would be car-based, pointing out that a system of ferrying visitors to the site by mini-bus from a village-based centre would be preferred.
