Archaeologists concerned at the reallocation of funds for national excavation and research projects.
There will be no State grant awarded to the Royal Irish Academy for archaeological excavation and research projects this year.
Instead, funds have been reassigned to a major Office of Public Works project at Dublin Castle, where a conference centre is being constructed ahead of Ireland assuming Presidency of the council of the European Union.
Work on the Loher Ringfort which overlooks Ballinskelligs Bay in County Kerry was due to be completed this year. Brendan O’Flaherty from University College Cork and his team have worked on this dry stone fort dating from the early Christian period and which he describes as,
Unique in an archaeological context.
Professor of Archaeology at University College Dublin George Eogan describes government axing of this year’s grants as unenlightened and,
A major backward step.
Minister of State responsible for Public Works Avril Doyle says the Dublin Castle project took priority over other sites with a pressing need to complete the restoration and development here.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 4 March 1986.
