The Political Background to the destruction of the Lismullen National Monument

Situation

In early 2007, archaeologists working on the route of the M3 Highway near the village of Lismullin, Ireland, discovered a vast Iron Age ceremonial enclosure, or henge, surrounded by two concentric walls. The 2,000-year-old site is just over a mile from the Hill of Tara, traditional seat of the High Kings of Ireland. In late 2007, a large stone with inscribed megalithic art was discovered at a souterrin associated with the Lismullen Henge near the Hill of Tara. The monument is located in the valley between the hills of Tara and Skreen. Lismullen is the vicinity of the Rath Lugh National Monument. [1] The megalithic discovery was of potentially enormous consequences. It gave the strongest possible evidence that the Tara/Skreen (Gabhra) and the Boyne Valleys are closely interlinked, both in terms of historical development, the age of the monuments concerned, (the Mound of the Hostages on the Hill of Tara is dated back to 2500 BC, about 5,000 years old, the approximate age of Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth, respectively. [2]

Description

The Lismullen National Monument consists of two outer circles and one inner circle of stakeholes, which were originally timber, (15-20 cm in diameter). The enormous henge measures more than 260 feet in diameter, specifically, the circular enclosure is 80 metres in diameter with a small inner central enclosure which is 16 metres in diameter. Two further rows of stakeholes show evidence of an entrance and passageway from the inner to the outer enclosure. No visual simulation has been made which would enable the public to properly appreciate what must have been a magnificent and awe-inspiring structure. (In the p.6. Deevy report, it is stated that when the excavation is completed it is proposed to produce conjectural reconstruction drawings, 3D graphics and a topographical model for display to the public). The NRA report of the discovery of the Lismullen Henge states that Lismullen's closest parallels are phases of the royal sites of Emain Macha, and Dun Ailinne, Co. Kildare, the report goes on to assert that Lismullen is of lesser importance: "although Lismullen is of a much smaller scale, is much less complex and appears to represent a single phase of use." (p.1). [3]

In August 2007, a US archaeologist, Dr. Ronald Hicks, of Ball State University, Indiana, argued that the Lismullen "Henge" is part of a wider ritual complex and should be preserved in situ. He contended that Lismullen was directly comparable to ceremonial enclosures found at Tara and other royal sites in Ireland such as Eamhainn Macha (Navan Fort). Dr. Hicks stated that: "The monument discovered earlier this year at Lismullin is, quite simply, unique. For that reason, if for no other, it should be preserved." In 2008, Archaeology Magazine, a publication of the Archaeological Institute of America, named the Lismullen national monument as one of the 10 most important archaeological discoveries of 2007 in the world, in its January/February 2008 issue. [4]

M3 Highway 

The Lismullen site was found in the path of the M3 during actual construction work in April 2007. This discovery of Lismullen came just a day after the former transport Minister Martin Cullen formally opened the construction phase of the ¤850 – 1 billion project. The Lismullen Henge was granted National Monument Status, and all works were halted on the site. On 12th June 2007, in one of his final acts of office, former environment Minister Dick Roche signed an order of preservation by record; directions that a designated National Monument, in this case, Lismullen, would be photographed, sketched and measured before being destroyed to make way for the motorway. The revised 2004 National Monuments Act grants the Minister for the Environment the power the destroy a National Monument. [5] 

Ministerial Directions

In his directions to the NRA about Lismullen, the current Minister for the Environment, and Green Party member, John Gormley maintained he did not possess the authority to revoke Roche's decision without a material change in circumstance. He stated that he had specifically consulted the Attorney General on this important point. The Minister stated that he had followed the procedure outlined under the 2004 act, namely consultation with the Director of the National Museum, Pat Wallace. The advice from the Department's Chief Archaeologist, Brian Duffy, was to the effect that leaving Lismullen in place would lead inevitably in its destruction from the elements. Minister Roche had already decided that since the destruction of Lismullen was a physical inevitability, the NRA had better proceed and demolish the monument after excavation. [6]

In June 2007, Minister Gormley not merely confirmed decision not to re-route the highway away from a major national monument, he also confirmed the former Minister and Chief Archaeologist's pretext used to destroy the monument. Minister Gormley also ignored the opportunity to immediately revise the 2004 National Monuments Act.

In deciding to proceed with the original M3 route over Lismullen, Minister Gormley stated he has received unequivocal advice from the Attorney General that, without a change in material circumstances relating to the newly discovered monument, it is not open to him to review, or amend, the directions given by his predecessor in this case. Mr. Gormley stated that, according to advice from the Attorney General, his hands were tied in this regard.

The National Monuments Act of 2004 is unconstitutional, however, the Minister is acting in breach of it by limiting the powers of his office of his own accord without any legal authority to do so. Ministers Roche and Gormley failed to mention the example of the Woodstown National Monument, found in the path of the N27 dual-carraigeway, It was subsequently declared a national monument by Minister Roche in 2005 in a move that meant a section of the ring road being rerouted. Campaigners appealed the Lismullen decision to the planning board, (An Bord Pleanala), but on the 22nd August 2007, the board announced that the demolition could proceed, as it did not constitute a material alteration to the M3 scheme which it had already approved. [7]

The power granted to the Minister to destroy a declared National Monument under the 2004 act are contrary to European law. Minister Roche's decision is under investigation by the European Court of Justice and was one of the grounds of the case initiated by the European Commission against the Irish Government after the discovery of Lismullen on October 17th 2007.

However, legislation to update the 2004 National Monuments Act to meet European requirements has been announced by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern before the Oireachtas but will not be brought foward before the house before 2009.* [8] 

* Our thanks to Deputy Joanne Tuffy for giving us this information. 

© The Tara Foundation, 2008

Sources [1] https://www.archaeology.org/0801/topten/tara.html 
Ministerial Directions to the National Roads Authority in respect of the newly discovered National Monument in Lismullen Townland., Co. Meath on the route of the M3 Clonee to North of Kells approved road development.

[2] https://www.savetara.com/statements/022208_threatened.html

[3] Report of the Doscovery of a National Monument at Lismullen: A008/021 & E3074.
https://www.tarawatch.org/?page_id=369 https://meathtourism.ie/LocalAuthorities/Publications/HeritagePublications/File,7286,en.pdf

[4] https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0821/breaking46.html
https://tarawatch.org/?p=470 
https://www.archaeology.org/0801/topten/

[5] https://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0822/tara.html https://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/file,10027,en.pdf https://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/acts/2004/A2204.pdf

[6] National Monument at Lismullen on the route of the M3 approved road development. Consultation with Director on draft Ministerial Directions (A042). https://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Heritage/NationalMonuments/FileDownLoad,14639,en.pdf 
Directions to the NRA in respect of a newly discovered National Monument in Lismullen Townland., Co. Meath on the route of the M3 Clonee to north of Kells approved road development. https://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Heritage/NationalMonuments/FileDownLoad,14633,en.pdf

 
[7] https://archives.tcm.ie/waterfordnews/2005/05/27/story18167.asp

 
[8] https://www.tarawatch.org/?page_id=662

Documentation relating to the Lismullen Henge 

https://www.tarataratara.net/resources/Reports/NRA/Lismullin-report.htm 

https://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Heritage/NationalMonuments/ 

https://www.indymedia.ie/article/82284 

https://www.tarawatch.org/?p=365

https://www.tarawatch.org/?p=591 

https://www.archaeology.org/0801/topten/

 
NRA Reconstruction of the Lismullen Henge https://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Heritage/NationalMonuments/FileDownLoad,17214,en.jpg