Sir, – Your editorial "National monuments – protecting our heritage" (April 20th) highlights an issue deserving of public debate, but also action. The Heritage Council's Archaeological Features at Risk Survey (2001) revealed alarming rates of damage to and removal of archaeological monuments, and warned that, if trends continued, our landscape would be comparable to some of the intensively farmed fieldscapes of Europe.
While legal protection and enforcement remain important, a heartening response since then has been the increase in community activity and public interest.
The Heritage Council’s field monument adviser scheme in Sligo, Clare, Fingal and Galway has advised landowners on caring for this important resource, and has been welcomed by landowners and farmers.
Community archaeology programmes, such as the recently launched “Adopt A Monument” scheme, have been met with huge interest and support across Ireland. This appeal for five sites was met with 90 community groups clamouring for support, training and mentoring in how to care for, explore and interpret their local archaeological monuments.
Unfortunately, due to restricted resources, the Heritage Council has not been able to support all of these communities.
The Irish landscape is enriched by its archaeological features and historic monuments, and these provide a rich sense of place and source of identity for many communities. Interest in tourist and amenity trails based on cultural heritage is growing apace, as cultural tourism and heritage-led regeneration become firmly established.
A consolidated National Monuments Bill, which proposes to update our deficient 1930s legislation, is still awaiting consideration by the Dáil and Seanad, five years after its publication! This is vitally important, and so too is the need to resource and promote a range of grassroots programmes and initiatives to develop the social and economic potential of our cultural heritage resource.
These are some of the reasons why it is so critical that the role of heritage is acknowledged fully, and reflected practically, in the programme for government of whatever administration emerges eventually. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL STARRETT,
Chief Executive,
The Heritage Council,
Church Lane,
Kilkenny.