Archaeologists have found a prehistoric dugout canoe or log boat buried in the seabed off the coast of Co Meath.
The boat, which is cut from a single tree trunk, could date from about 3000 BC. While a small number of similar boats have been found in lakes, this is the first to be found in the sea.
It was spotted by an archaeologist monitoring a dredging operation less than a mile off Gormanston. The dredging was being carried out by Bord Gáis for a pipeline to carry natural gas from Scotland.
When the archaeologist on board the dredger saw what appeared to be timber, the dredging was stopped and moved to another location.
A diving team from the Archaeology Diving Company (ADCO) investigated and found the log boat partially buried in the seabed. A painstaking operation was begun to successfully raise the boat and transfer it to a special tank on land, where it could be properly examined and conserved.
Originally seven metres in length, the boat is made from a hard wood and was probably used to transport goods up and down the coast, according to maritime archaeologist Mr Niall Brady, who is a director of ADCO.
"It probably served as a coastal boat and more than probably is of great antiquity, possibly of prehistoric dating. We are very excited about this," he added.
Dúchas, the heritage service, and the National Museum have examined the boat. It is expected to eventually go on display in the museum, which has the only large-scale conservation facilities for wooden objects in the State.