Cavan Archeological Site Still Under Treat

cavan | environment | news report Wednesday May 12, 2004 21:48 by M. Lynch turas_deiseal at yahoo dot com

Local Environmental Group Appeal For National Support

Earth clearing work is continuing at the Cavan site at Ardkill Mountain, threatening another large stretch of the ancient linear earthworks known as the Black Pigs Dyke or Worm Ditch.

The quarry first opened without planning permission in the early eighties. Material quarried at the site was transported to a nearby quarry for stone breaking. The quarry subsequently closed for a number of years. However in the mid nineties the owners John Nulty Limited, applied for planning permission to Cavan county council to reopen the quarry. Despite many local objections being lodged permission was granted. Indeed so confident were the quarry masters, that they had large equipment installed at the Ardkill site before officially gaining the permission. John Nulty Limited is a major supplier of materials to Cavan County Council.
A spokesperson for the pressure group “the Red Branch” who is campaigning on the issue said they were calling on environmentalists across the country to support their case to preserve the ancient site from further destruction. They claimed the local council had no interest in taking any action to protect the site and the National Monuments section of the department of Environment, were not replying to either their group or An Taisce. Indeed Ian Lumley. An Taisce’s heritage officer has stated in a recent email to a member of Red Branch “I totally share your bewilderment at the two sections of DoE which we were contacting to respond”
The spokesperson concluded by saying they were calling on all environmentalist and heritage groups across the island to bring the issue to prominence before it is too late.