Lake Muckno, also known as Lough Muckno, is a freshwater loch in County Monaghan, adjacent to the town of Castleblayney in the north-east of the Republic of Ireland. It is a historic site, with the 18th century Hope Castle among its landmarks (built by one of the successors of the family after whom the town was named), surrounded by a landscape that reflects an ancient past sculpted by glaciers that have already disappeared.
Well, the conceptual design of a major project that aims to turn the location into a world-class, year-round adventure destination has just been put out for public consultation. The National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland, in collaboration with Monaghan County Council, commissioned the conceptual design of the project from century-old architectural practice Scott Brownrigg, based in Guildford, UK, with offices around the world.
The project’s conceptual design, which the architectural firm refers to as “Muckno Estate” (the name of the land surrounding the lake) proposes a series of “glazed domes embedded into the landscape”, with a profile that mimics the gentle curves, produced over centuries of glacial erosion and accumulation of materials, characteristic of the area. Each of the domes is supported by rammed earth walls, taken from the site, and has a locally sourced timber roof. In this way, Muckno Estate is envisioned as an indoor, almost underground adventure park offering a wide range of experiences all year round.
The adventure destination will feature a selection of high quality accommodation, including a lakeside “wellness hotel“, as well as other accommodation scattered throughout the estate. The project aims to be greenhouse gas neutral, and will use “passive environmental techniques” such as geothermal energy conversion and the use of lake water for swimming pools and other water features. All in all, Muckno Estate aims to be a “catalyst for regional tourism growth” by transforming the site into an innovative tourist destination, with nature, heritage and local culture as its main assets.
