Donabate archaeological find at risk of losing protection

A significant archaeological find in Corballis, Donabate is in danger of being damaged by a planning application currently being considered by An Bord Pleanala, local Labour representative Corina Johnston has said.

In July, an ancient tunnel, or souterrain, was discovered by a farmer who was attending to his crops.

James Kyle, the chairperson of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland said this type of souterrain is the first of its kind found in the area.

“Regarding the archaeological find it is a souterrain, a type of manmade underground passageway, which generally dates from the 7th-Century AD to about 1100AD, so most of what we call the Early Medieval period,” he told Northside People.

“Quite often they are found in association which early church sites and enclosure sites like ringforts.

“They come in three forms, timber built, earth cut and stone built, like the Donabate example.”

Kyle says that such tunnels had various uses, ranging from food storage to hiding precious items from Viking raiding parties and in some cases they had doors which could be barred from the outside, in order to keep people in.

However, the land on which the souterrain was found is the subject of a planning application for the development of 1365 residential units – threatening the future stability of the historic site.

The Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) for the planning application was submitted in 2021 and ABP has said that under the Strategic Housing Development legislation it cannot take any further comments or information on the proposal.

Johnston said: “This archaeological find was discovered by locals in fields at Corballis, Donabate, in recent weeks.

“Duncan Smith TD and I reported this to The National Monument Service who visited the site and confirmed that this can be classified as a souterrain (underground tunnel), a significant archaeological find which has now been added to the online non statutory Sites and Monuments Record.

“The National Monuments Service confirmed the monument will be noted for consideration for inclusion in any revisions of the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) which is a statutory record which affords a measure of legal protection under existing legislation,” she said.

Johnston says that existing national and European legislation all refer to the conservation and the satisfactory protection of archaeological remains.

“In view of the position taken by An Bord Pleánala, Duncan Smith TD and I have written to the Minister for Heritage outlining the significance of this find and appealed to him to ensure the protection and preservation of this site including placing a temporary preservation order on the souterrain and extended site.

“It would be an absolute disaster if the souterrain and the extended site was damaged or destroyed as a result of a permission being granted without reference to the recent historical find which was unknown when the planning application was submitted.”

Earlier this month, the entrance of the tunnel was damaged by apparent vandals in an overnight incident.

Over the weekend of Saturday, August 12 and Sunday, August 14, stones placed around the entrance of the enclosure were smashed and thrown around the area.

This left a “huge gaping hole leaving the souterrain exposed to further destruction,” Johnston said.

“Thanks to a local man who discovered this on Sunday evening and set about sealing the enclosure to ensure no further destruction could ensue.

“I reported this incident to the Gardai who visited the site.

“If anyone has any information that may assist Gardai with their enquiries please contact Swords Gardai.”