Bremore next to be destroyed. Background Info

international | environment | news report Tuesday June 02, 2009 16:43 by Carmel Diviney - SAVE BREMORE

Save Bremore

The new deepwater port, a joint venture between REO and Drogheda Port with Hong Kong maritime conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa lined up to develop the master plan, could ultimately replace Dublin Port if the Government was to decide that it should be relocated; one of Bremore’s selling points is its close proximity to the M1 motorway.....so many unrealised plans by different developers over the past 20 years that it seems as if some sort of jinx hangs over it.

The unpolluted crystal clear waters of Bremore 20-9-08

The story summary above is an extract from The Irish Times report following the money trail and misadventures of major developers in recent times.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0306/1....html

Just like what is happening on the M3 saga, those involved in the destruction of ancient heritage are falling foul of " the Curse of Tara" ?

The delvelopment that concerns us here is the €300m deep water port at Balbriggan Co Dublin. This scenic and archaeologically rich area is under threat from industrial development. Bremore contains the 6000 yr old neolithic tombs comparable to Newgrange in importance. Bremore has been mooted as the new M3 and many protests are expected to emerge against development of this area.

Bremore Passage tomb cemetery is located on a rocky promontory with extensive views of the coastline, as far north as the Mourne Mountains.

In the record of monuments it says that Bremore complex consists of five mounds, the largest measuring c.30m in diameter and c.3.3m in height. This is surrounded by four other mounds (often referred to elsewhere as satellite tombs) surviving from 9m-15m in diameter and from 0.5m-0.75m in height. This layout is typical of other passage tomb cemeteries. However on my inspection I could only find four of these mounds and I suspect that the fifth has succumbed to farming.

Bremore is listed on the Record of Monuments and Places as an archaeological complex consisting of the following;

DU-002-001-01
Passage Tomb

DU-002-001-02
Passage Tomb

DU-002-001-03
Passage Tomb

DU-002-001-04
Passage Tomb

DU-002-001-05
Passage Tomb

DU-002-001-06
Fulacht Fiadh

The Bremore tombs belong to a wider group known as the Bremore/Gormanston group that extends long the coast on either side of the mouth of the river Delvin. This is in itself significant as it indicates they were a ‘landing point’ and the start of the western expansion of tombs inland to Fourknocks. Passage tombs are thought to have originated from Iberia and the Bremore tombs would therefore represent an early stage in the developmental sequence-they are thus seen as the PRECURSERS of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth.
The Bremore tombs, as monuments of national importance, are protected by a Preservation Order (No. 22/76) which means no works can take place on or in the vicinity of the monuments without the consent of the Minister of the Environment.

They are also listed on the Record of Protected Structures (RPS 003) .

Thus Bremore passage tomb cemetery is subject to several levels of protection. As outlined by the National Monuments Service, the OPW is responsible for signage and care of the monuments. Also the passage tombs are on private land, in the care of the OPW and the National Monument Service.

I last walked the land and videod the area two weeks ago and evidence of ploughing was already to be seen with deep gorges sctatched into the ancient stones by farm machinery. A friend who visited Bremore again at the weekend saw somthing much worse and pictures are available at the following blog link. Tractors had encroached UP ONTO the mounds and they are now sown with corn. Many of the ancient stones were moved aside shorn out of the places that they have occupied for millenia. This scandalous destruction warrants prosecution immediately and a full investigation.

We must save Bremore!!!!!

The Central Mound- this notice has since disappeared.