The proposed leisure and conference development at Durrow Abbey, Co Offaly, some four miles outside Tullamore, is now very much in the news following appeals from the Heritage Council and An Taisce to An Bord Pleanala opposing the development. But the fate of the 5th-century monastic settlement, famous for its 7th-century manuscript and its 9th-century high cross, has been debated for years, mainly over the question of public access and ownership.
Reactions to the proposed development vary. As usual in such situations, cases are being made for the economic spin-off. Commentators have observed that the drama is being played out in the home constituency of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen. The Minister is believed to be supporting the £130 million development. But heritage groups fear for the environmental impact of such a huge development in a beautiful, as well as historic, parkland bordered on the south by Esker Riada and to the north by another line of major eskers, with extensive woodland. It is here that the great Columban monastic settlement of Durrow once stood. Archaeologists are concerned because of the national and international significance of the site through its association with St Columcille.
Considering the violence of a past which includes the fraught 6th-century spectacle of the rival monks from Clonmacnoise and Durrow battling over the right to bury a king, the site of St Colmcille's ancient settlement is today peaceful. The monastery was burnt out in 1095, again in 1153 and twice in 1155. Later, as an Augustinian Abbey it was devastated by the Anglo-Normans in 1175 under Hugh de Lacy, who was later killed here. As with Clonard, in Co Meath, once the home of a great medieval university famous throughout Europe, little is visible to the eye. Imagination as much as a grasp of the history is needed to understand such a precious place, which would have been an active village while also being a place of prayer. The undulating landscape holds many of the secrets. Durrow has come to be symbolised by its 9th-century high cross and immortalised by the magnificent 7th-century manuscript of the Latin gospels.
The Book of Durrow, once dipped into water for use as a cure, was handed over to Trinity College Dublin, where it remains. But the splendid high cross, now heavily weathered and visibly cracked, has withstood the centuries. It stands in a small churchyard, facing an elegant, if derelict, church built about 1720 and restored in 1802.
The medieval abbey's status was reduced to that of a priory in 1190. By 1541, it had become a parish church, and was in use until 1582. For more than a century it was a ruin. Images of Adam and Eve, the sacrifice of Isaac, David killing the lion, Cain slaying Abel, and the infant John the Baptist and his parents decorate it. But there is far more to Durrow than the high cross and three early Christian grave slabs. Traces of the ancient enclosure are evident, but the excavations in 1985, which followed the chance discovery of ancient graves by a farmer and suggested a probable wealth of sub surface material, are yet to be assessed.
Durrow is unique for many reasons, not least because it has suffered little or no later-medieval or modern interference. St Columba's Church, which stands on site, dates from 1720 and requires urgent attention. It is strange that Durrow has been largely ignored until now, despite the significant discovery of human remains in 1985 at two sites beyond the known monastic enclosure. It led to a National Museum excavation, led by archaeologist Raghnaill O Floinn. He estimated the bodies dated from the very early Christian period. However, no further study or excavation followed at the time, or has since been sanctioned. A spokesman for Duchas said there was no money then and "Durrow was not a priority".
So the Durrow site, which may well span several hundred acres, and is recognised to be in "desperate need" of a conservation plan, now faces encroachment by a huge leisure complex development. Most bewildering of all, however, is the widely held opinion that the developer, John Maher of Radleigh Properties, not the Government, can settle the dispute over ownership of and public access to what is a national monument. While the high cross and the grave slabs were placed in the guardianship of the Commissioners of Public Works under the National Monuments Act in 1933 - the site has never been officially regarded as an extensive settlement - the deed only gave legal protection to the monuments. It did not make provision for public access.
Most of Ireland's 120,000 recorded national monuments are situated on privately owned land. Duchas owns only 700. But access to monuments is seldom an issue; most landowners are amenable. At Durrow, however, the gates were closed from 1991 and access is now only available by permission from the owners.
Representations from the Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society over the years to various ministers for protection of the monument and public access made no progress. The society is now widely viewed by those on both sides as being in full support of an 800-acre development. But Michael Byrne, the society's secretary and a local historian, says it is not as simple as that. "Our Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society and the Durrow High Cross Committee are only concerned with the heritage aspects of the development - by which we refer to the high cross, the early Christian grave slabs as well as the surrounding churchyard, the holy well and the entire monastic enclosure. We want a public right of way and we want provision of a car park well away from the churchyard. We would say that Duchas could protect the site immediately by declaring the entire area a national monument. But it has not chosen to do so."
Byrne stresses the society's position has been misrepresented. "We are not in support of golf courses and hotels," he says, adding "our `support' for the developer was born of the fact that he was the first person to meet the local community and offer us what we have been looking for the past, 10, 15, 25 years - the protection of the heritage. Unfortunately with the offer came the trade-off of hotel, golf course, conference centre, residential units and so on."
In a letter published in The Irish Times on September 6th, he described the support of the local people for the development as being based on "a careful assessment of the threats and opportunities it presents and it must also be said it is a response to the frustration of dealing with the Government in relation to preservation proposals for this site since the early 1970s".
The Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society is amateur in name only. It is a highly organised and active group, with fine facilities and an impressive, well-stocked reference library. Among its many documents, articles and letters dealing with the plight of Durrow as a site at risk with a particularly vulnerable high cross, is a detailed record of the various stages in a campaign which was reported far more widely in local rather than national newspapers. Again, this is surprising considering the national and international importance of the site.
According to Byrne, the present situation is complicated, but the solution is simple. Duchas could buy the site. "We feel let down. Duchas has done nothing. But Duchas has a political master and has to be responsive to political opinion," he says.
Co Offaly, with such natural resources as the Slieve Blooms and the Grand Canal, is extraordinarily blessed in ancient ecclesiastical sites such as Clonmacnoise, Durrow, Gallen, Rahan, St Fintan's Tihilly and the old monastic site of Seirkieran. Tullamore is now a conference centre. Offaly County Council is in the process of appointing a heritage and conservation officer who will also have responsibility for Co Laois. On behalf of Offaly County Council, deputy county manager Bernadette Kinsella says: "We gave the planning permission with 31 conditions, one of which dealt with the archaeology and architecture, because it was
felt it would be significant in developing a tourism infrastructure in the county." As long ago as 1992 Offaly County Council approved plans for the owners, Paddy and Sheila O'Brien, for an admittedly smaller development at Durrow Abbey which then was to include a hotel, golf course, 46 self-catering chalets and a contentious air strip. The O'Briens however, failed to find a buyer. The planning permission lapsed.
John Maher, the developer, admits he is "disappointed" and feels he went about his proposal "the right way, straight from the beginning. I'm a new style developer." Much has been made of his being a Midlander. He is from Roscrea, Co Tipperary, and says he wants "to do something for the area". With some 25 years' experience in property development, he says most of his work has been in Dublin and the UK. He has specialised in urban development. Although the Midlands is benefiting from the current boom, particularly as regards housing, as more people pushed out by Dublin house prices opt for commuter lifestyles, Maher maintains: "the Midlands is disadvantaged and unattractive. It has little going for it. I want people to have a reason to want to come to Tullamore. People need to be enticed to come to Offaly."
A representative from An Taisce discussed the project with Maher. "They [An Taisce] want the number of residential units halved, with another quarter given over to rentals. That's not viable. It'll take 10 years to make a profit," says Maher. Adding that he has an interest in heritage, he says first came to Durrow in 1997 to discuss business with Paddy O'Brien, who died suddenly the following year.
To the suggestion that this important monastic settlement, which has yet to be extensively studied, should be preserved as a national park, Maher replied his "concept" is a national park. But isn't a national park containing a private country club-like development consisting of hotel, conference centre, leisure and equestrian complex, 461 residential units and a golf course a contradiction? "I don't see that. What do you mean? It's all open spaces." An approximate breakdown of the 800 acres is as follows: the Coillte spruce wood on which Maher has an option cannot be built on, as it is growing on a natural acquifer. It accounts for 300 acres. The golf course extends over 165 acres, leaving 335 acres for all the buildings. This area will also incorporate the existing Durrow Abbey, a Gothic-style mansion which was rebuilt in 1923 having been burnt down during the Civil War. A range of outhouses is also included, as is an 18th-century walled garden. An Taisce is particularly concerned about the development of the garden under Maher's scheme.
To date, Maher says, geophysical surveys have cost him £50,000. It is understood that the archaeological consultants employed by the developer advised Radleigh Properties to pull out as it was unlikely to win the appeal. John Maher says he has never lost a planning appeal and "we're not walking away from this". Though he says he has bought no land yet, he adds, "I have options on everything" and it would not make sense to spend more money on surveys "for nothing". Without planning permission, Durrow Abbey would revert to being a large house with 300 acres on the private market. Maher then asked: "Are you going to buy Durrow Abbey and have the public traipsing all over it?" The fact remains: purchasing any property which includes a national monument imposes a special responsibility. To the suggestion that the State should buy it, John Maher is firm. "I wouldn't agree with that."
According to Offaly county manager Niall Sweeney, "the local authority has a role in the sustainable and orderly planning and development of the county". Have planning officers the freedom to suggest a project should be moved elsewhere? "They have the freedom, but when a planning application is proposed for a specific area, it has to be considered as site specific." Many observers, conscious of the practical argument surrounding such developments, believe a smaller version of the project would be better suited to west Offaly, which is far less populated than north Offaly, where Durrow is situated. Would Sweeney be pleased if Duchas decided even at this late hour to purchase the entire site and conserve it? "Yes, of course I would."
Meanwhile Duchas, the Heritage Service, is angry at the way it has been described in letters to newspapers as being "bought off". Dave Fadden, a director in Duchas says, "It is absolutely untrue to say we have been bought off by a free car park. We opposed the planning application because of the insufficient archaeological information presented with it. After it was granted there was a condition included requiring archaeological information to Duchas's satisfaction. There have been allegations that Duchas in some way compromised its position on the protection of the heritage in exchange for a car park. Although Duchas has been in discussion with the developer in relation to the car park and access, we have made it clear that this does not prejudice our position."
Although Duchas, unlike the Heritage Council and An Taisce, decided not to appeal the planning permission, Fadden stresses Duchas is awaiting the results of the geophysical survey being carried out by the developer under the conditions laid down by Offaly County Council. "We want to see the results of further geophysical survey work which the developer is paying for under the `developer pays' principle. The survey work must continue until the full extent of the archaeological potential is identified." Widely criticised by all parties as having done nothing as regards public access, protection of the monument or conservation, Duchas seems less passive now, and is prepared to use a preservation order under the National Monuments Act in the event of not being satisfied "that the heritage can be protected". It was on this basis that it did not appeal to An Bord Pleanala.
On the question of disputed ownership of the church yard, Fadden says "while there is a dispute about ownership we, Duchas, believe the State has ownership of the churchyard as well as the monuments within, which are under our protection". In 1988, discussions began between the State and the Representative Church Body about the take over of St Columba's Church at Durrow. It was not until 1994 that the Church of Ireland handed it over to the State. About the same time, the owner of Durrow Abbey, the late Paddy O'Brien, registered his ownership of the same property with the land registry. In 1995, Duchas began legal proceedings to establish the State's ownership. The case has yet to reach the circuit court. According to Fadden, Duchas believes ownership of the site is currently "incorrectly registered". How fruitful have the findings of the recent geophysical surveys proved? "We accept there is more archaeological potential at Durrow than the elements we own. We are waiting for further geophysical surveys."
Archaeologist Dr Peter Harbison, a former chairman of the National Monuments Advisory Council, one of the four prescribed bodies under the 1963 Planning Act, is an international authority on high crosses and the author of the definitive three-volume study, Irish High Crosses (1992). He is opposed to the development as it stands. "I think it is an absolute disaster if a part of the only reliably authenticated Columban monastic site in Ireland is going to be over lain by a modern golf course. The old monastery was more extensive than the existing churchyard and in its present form one of the holes of the golf course traverses the northern section of the monastic enclosure."
According to Harbison, the 9th-century high cross currently standing in the churchyard is "one of only a small group of extremely important scriptural high crosses". It should, he feels, be moved indoors, as it is vulnerable not only to the effects of weathering "but to the nearby trees which are damaging it by dripping on it and could destroy it should they fall". These recommendations were made in 1975 to the county council by the Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society. Nothing was done.
Of the many questions raised by the situation, two are particularly pressing. First, why is the Government apparently prepared to allow a commercial developer to settle the dispute over public access to a national monument? Isn't it the Government's role to resolve this? No official response to this question has yet been forthcoming.
Second, in the event of an international deputation of archaeologists denouncing the building of a leisure complex over such an important European site, how would the Government explain? Having made several calls to Brian Cowen's office on the subject of the Durrow development (as it is targeted for his constituency), a spokesman for the minister eventually said "the minister has left for the evening. He has no comment to make and is not interested in getting involved". I repeated this back to him to make sure I had heard him correctly. I had - and assured him I would quote the comment. Another adviser phoned back immediately with a general statement welcoming last July's planning permission.
In response to the question of how the Government would explain development at Durrow if approached by an international deputation of archaeologists, the adviser said, "it would be up to An Taisce, or the Heritage Council, or Duchas to respond". I pointed out to the adviser that An Taisce is a voluntary body; it has objected. The Heritage Council does not speak on behalf of the Government, but it too has objected to this development at Durrow. A Duchas spokesman, when contacted about the same point, said it would be a "difficult question" to answer.
Interestingly, no one has commented on the Durrow finds of 1985, the neglect of the monuments, the failure to acknowledge Durrow as a complex (not just a small churchyard), and above all, the long silence over the future of the site, which is only in the news now because it may be lost forever.
Dr Pat Wallace, director of the National Museum, who has already made his opposition to the development clear and called on the Minister for Heritage, Sile de Valera, to appeal what he called "Offaly County Council's misguided decision", says, "St Colmcille is the most important Christian figure in Irish history and one of the great figures in European Christian history. This is St Colmcille's church site. Let's ponder that."