DOVECOTE AT THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, GALWAY

This freestanding dovecote was built in 1800 as part of the Belmont country house estate, which is now demolished. Dovecotes are structures built to house pigeons or doves, but they were often built more as a symbol of high status in years gone by.

Although the dovecote is now disused, this type of structure is fairly rare in Ireland and makes a fine and unusual contribution to the architectural heritage of the surrounding area.