Lessons need to be learned about souterrain issue

The state of the Donaghmore souterrain, a national monument, was raised at last week’s county council meeting by Cllr. Tomas Sharkey who said lessons need to be learned about how it has come to be closed to the public.

The souterrain has been damaged in the past decade and the Office of Public Works earlier this year revealed that they first became aware of the damage to lintels and air vents as far back as 2010.

The damage, the OPW said, ‘rendered the site potentially unsafe for visitors and public access, which had previously been available through a local keyholder, was curtailed immediately when the damage became known.

‘ The OPW is not in a position to state conclusively who was responsible for the damage and is now focussed on carrying out the necessary investigation works to assess the possible repairs to the structure’.They added they were having ‘ logistical difficulties’ in accessing the inside of the souterrain to inspect it fully.

Cllr. Sharkey put a motion before last week’s monthly council meeting stating: ‘ that Louth County Council is concerned for the condition of the Donaghmore souterrain’ and calling for a ‘full report to be prepared by the Chief Executive outlining all reports, inspections and considerations regarding this souterrain.

In response, the council replied: ‘Planning permission has been granted for a dwelling in this location and this is currently under construction. The line of ‘existing caves’ was delineated on the site layout plan. In assessing this application, the Department was consulted, an archaeological survey was undertaken and the Department subsequently recommended permission be granted, subject to a condition that no ground disturbance works be undertaken to the eastern part of this site.

‘A member of our planning staff visited this site on May 24 2017. While there are significant quantities of materials and vehicles elsewhere on site, I can confirm that the eastern area has not been disturbed’.

Cllr. Sharkey said he noted the response and appreciated that ‘ some effort has been made’. He said the souterrain was ‘very important’ and asked that he be granted the opportunity to ‘go back to the council on this, perhaps one to one with officials to discuss the damage and what lessons can be learned’.

‘ The souterrain has been there for thousands of years, but the damage has only happened relatively recently and we are going to have to learn lessons from this and I think we will have to discuss it again in future’. The motion was supported by Peter Savage and Conor Keelan, with the latter saying that they are an ‘important part of our national heritage’.