Budget 2009

The morning after the budget is a very dark one indeed. Living in a council estate - everyone will be badly affected around me. Although our houses were finished in 2002, they have only one fireplace for heat and warm water, the insulation is just above non-existing, the state of doors, windows, the amount of gaps and cracks and the overall use of substandard material has left these houses prone to drafts and leaks and any improvement of these conditions has to be financed by us, the tenants. There won’t be much improvement for some time to come. Many of my neighbours have young children and if I ever thought that bringing up my son as a single parent was hard, I would need to seriously reconsider such conclusion. Ireland today is neither the place nor the time to bring up children or into this world. The hardship put upon families evokes images and in some memories of times long gone. Each generation tries to improve themselves and to provide a better future for their children. Now it seems that all we have done created floods and draughts while keeping the few powerful safe and sound during our very short-lived illusion of betterment.

I will see if it possible to organise shopping trips to Derry to share the cost of petrol and to get a weekly supply of daily items which are cheaper across the border. I have no doubt in my mind that many will do the same. As a result the government will not be able to squeeze the expected amount of money from its ill-conceived attempt and unable to take money from the rich and its own over-bulging apparatus, matter will worsen and it will become a question of time, when fundamental changes have to occur. Irish endurance of not enough to live and too much to die poverty may not what it used to be.

Here comes my first rough calculation of my own financial situation:

Single parent, one child in third level education

Income:

Monthly wage p/t.	€ 775
FIS (not confirmed or received yet) weekly	€ 53 (?)
Lone parent	€ 0

 

Outgoings

Monthly repayment of bank loan for craft shop (closed due to lack of customers)	€ 228.46
Weekly rent	€ 29
Last bi-monthly ESB bill	€ 90
Last bi-monthly Eircom bill	€ 123.85
1% levy on monthly income	€ 7.75

 

Weekly income: € 244.81

Weekly outgoings: € 112.85

Leaving me with € 131.96 so far. TV license, road tax, car insurance, heating costs and petrol are not included. All on the increase and there is more to come. I belief it would give me a very optimistically € 80 for daily items per week, which means a daily spending spree of around € 11.43. From it I also would need to save € 1500 for my sons registration fee for next years course. Supporting him financially with even a very small supplement per week or month is out of the question, leaving him fending for himself. There is no scope for a much needed dentist appointment nor at the hairdresser, never mind such fancy things like birthdays or christmas.

With no disposable income around and people holding tight on to the little money left, there is no hope of generating additional income in some other way for myself and I can only hope to stay in employment.

It is of no comfort nor assistance to be informed that we all have to bleed, when obviously some are left bleeding out while others barely trickle. Worryingly, the latter made us pay all along, so they don’t have to, even for their mistakes and their greed.

Possible contestant for crowning stone at Grianán

At the beginning of this year I finally started to walk the rest of the hill and surroundings, away from the sad sight of concrete fillings, and came, not really surprisingly, across a few suspicious stone compilations. Amongst them was in one a large slab with what looked like two left foot imprints. Although I know of Columba’s Stone in the garden of Belmont House in Derry and its reputation of being the inauguration stone of the Kings of Aileach, it did not occur to me until some days ago that there might be another contender to this claim. It dawned on me as I saw a photo of the crowning stone of the Scots kings of Dál Riata on Wikipedia that this stone may have been used for this purpose. If that should be the case, it would raise the question of who’s crowning stone the one at Belmont is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrosomatoglyph

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrosomatoglyph#Footprints

 

 

 

 

Sunsets at Grianán

Even after closer examination women don’t seem to have played a significant role in the history of Grianán of Aileach. Yet nine names, three queens and six goddesses, representing the land, sovereignty, fertility, war, death and great influence, are found surrounding events at the time of the legendary Tuatha De Dannan near Ulster and Aileach. And none of them was ordinary.

“Eriu, though it should reach a road-end, Banba, Fotla, and Fea, Neman of ingenious versicles, Danann, mother of the gods. Badb and Macha, greatness of wealth, Morrigu – springs of craftiness, sources of bitter fighting were the three daughters of Ernmas.”

Eriu, Banba and Fotla were queens and wives to three grandsons of the Dagda, who according to legend built Grianán of Aileach to grieve for his son Aed. Eriu was wife to Cethor – Mac Greine, son of the sun; Banba to Sethor – Mac Cuill, son of the hazel and Fotla to Tethor – Mac Cecht, son of the ploughshare. “Badb, Macha, and Morrigu were their three goddesses. And “Fea (Badb) and Nemaind (battle goddesses) were the two wives of Net, a quo Ailech Neit.” As the Tuatha De Dannan came to Ireland in a blaze of “dark clouds“, they, like invaders before and after them, faced a respectable amount of defiance from the already established population. In both battles of Mag Tuired between the Tuatha De Dannan and the Fir Bolg, who allied with the Formorians (stronghold at Tory Island, Co. Donegal), “the Badb, and Macha, and Morrigu “ supported the De Danann in their pursuit. Although victorious in the end for the people of the Danann, it was short lived. As Ith, the Scythian, came to Ireland, he found Mac Greine, Mac Cuill and Mac Cecht at Aileach Neit (one of the many names ascribed to Grianán of Aileach) “contending with one another about the valuables of their ancestors”. Suspicious of his praise for the land they decided to kill him to prevent invasion and Ith received his lethal blow in a plain between Grianán and Raphoe. As a result the sons of Iths brother Mil mounted the dreaded invasion to avenge his death. At their arrival each of the three queens took the invaders aside and claimed that this land was named after her and so shall remain the principle name. After everything else failed to drive the Milesians back into the sea, it came to the final battle of Taillte where “Net son of Indui and his two wives, Badb (Fea) and Neman without deceit, were slain in Ailech without blame by Nemtuir the Red, of the Fomoraig”; “Eriu yonder, (fell) at the hands of Suirge”, Fotla at the hands of Etan with pride, of Caicher, Banba with victory”. Dananns reign finished this very day as her followers lost against the Milesians, who would have brought with them besides tools and skills their own deities. Although queens and goddesses they all fell by the hands of old foes and new arrivals. Their deaths did not just put an end to their individual life, legendary or otherwise, it marked the end of an era. In their presented forms these women symbolise each a fading aspect of the trinity of the Great Goddess: Mother of all gods – heaven and humans – earth and protectoress of the dead – underworld. An echo from the beginning of human civilisation and the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Elements which would be absorbed into all changes afterwards.

In the legends of the British Isles Morrigian (Morrigu) always resides in and around water and “in the west where the sun sets”. Standing at Grianán, that would be beyond Lough Swilly where the last red rays of light are channelled through its bay, leaving the hill gently; only to rise again the next day beyond Lough Foyle. And so it begins again.

 

 

The forgotten stones of Aileach

It is said that “Three hundred years after the deluge,… all holy Ireland was desert, until Partholón came.” He divided it into four parts among his four sons – Er, Orba, Fearon, and Feargna. “He gave the first part to Er, namely, all that is from Aileach Néid in the north of Ulster to Athcliath of Leinster. He gave the second part to Orba, namely, all that is from Athcliath to Oiléan Arda Neimheadh, which is called Oiléan Mór an Bharraigh. He gave the third part to Fearon, from the Great Island to Athcliath Meadhruidhe at Galway. He gave the fourth part to Feargna, namely, from Meadhruidhe to Aileach Néid.”

But Ireland was not deserted. A race called the Fomoire had already settled with their stronghold it seems in today’s County Donegal, spending two hundred years “at fishing and fowling “.

And so the first battle was fought in Ireland between Cical Grigenchosach, son of Goll, son of Garbh, of the Fomorians and Partholón’s men at Maighe Ithe, the field of Ith, between Lough Foyle, Lough Swilly and the river Finn in the Counties of Donegal and Derry. The Fomorians for now were defeated, “so that they were all slain”, including Cical Grigenchosach.

The first inhabitants of Ireland arrived circa 8000 BC. The oldest settlement found is on Mount Sandel, Coleraine, County Derry, abandoned around 6000 BC. Its people lived from hunting and gathering, “fishing and fowling” and came most likely via today’s Scotland. Some of the Stone Age tools found on Inishowen are displayed in the Tower Museum in Derry. At the end of the Stone Age a second wave of people arrived in Ireland, bringing with them the tools and trade of agriculture, Partholón’s ploughs and oxen and his clearing of four plains of wood, and the graves of stone to bury their dead.

A tumulus, only metres away from Grianán Ailigh and facing Holywell Hill, lay once on top of this hill. This burial consisted of a “small mound having around it a circle of ten stones laid horizontally and converging towards the centre”. It probably was built by those first Neolithic farmers, who out of necessity choose a solar deity over the old lunar goddess. The shape of the now gone tumulus might just have reflected this change and was indeed a symbol of the sun.

 

 

Time Enough to Rot

After nearly two months of the meeting between the OPW and local councillors having taken place I finally received some information on what went on.

 

Sent: Tue Jun 24 14:41:09 2008
Subject: Grianan, article

Dear Pádraig MacLochlainn,

I have been asked now on several occasions about the outcome of the meeting with the OPW and I would appreciate if the information concerning this meeting would be made available. At the moment neither the people of Inishowen nor Donegal seem to be worthy to receive any information concerning the state and status of their National monument.

You might find this article very interesting:
The State We’re in on the Eve of World Archaeological Congress (WAC) 6: Archaeology in Ireland vs Corporate Takeover (PDF)

Sincerely
Bettina Linke

 

Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:17 PM
Subject: Re: Grianan, article

The meeting took place and the elected members were satisfied that the works undertaken by the OPW were necessary to safely secure the structure in the long term. We were given a detailed background to the unstable nature of the structure rebuilt in the late 1800s utilising a small remainder of the original ruins and the problems with collapse since.

The next steps are for the promotion of the site. Particularly focusing on the history of the location and the spectacular panoramic view.

Regards, Pádraig

 

Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 10:44 AM
Subject: Re: Grianan, article

Dear Pádraig MacLochlainn,

Thank you for your reply.
I thought as much – that the OPW would not find more than a badly attempted challenge and have an easy task pulling the wool over your eyes.
You still have no financial statements for the money they received for the maintenance of the monument to prevent collapse for decades or the work carried out since 2000 nor do you have any proof in your hands for the “unstable nature of the structure” or an independent opinion. And I wont even bother betting that you don’t have the extensive survey, which seem to have led to the conclusion of shape-shifting and as much concrete as possible, either. You have still no documentation what so ever. They got what they came for, silencing your pesky concerns with their well tailored fabrication, they, by now, can recite in their sleep, – leaving you and the rest of Inishowen with nothing, as usual.

Sincerely,
Bettina Linke

 

 

Time enough to rot;

Toss overhead

Your golden ball of blood;

Breathe against air;

Puffing the light’s flame to and fro,

Not drawing in your suction’s kiss.

Your mouth’s fine dust

Will find such love against the grain,

And break through dark;

It’s acrid in the streets;

A paper witch upon her sulphured broom

Flies from the gutter.

The still go hard,

The moving fructify;

The walker’s apple’s black as sin;

      Then swim your head,

      For you’ve a sea to lie.

Dylan Thomas

1931

Grianán Ailigh by Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh

May I proudly present Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh’s painting of Grianán Ailigh.

We will exhibit it over the summer around Inishowen in the hope, that it will raise awareness of the rapidly dwindling heritage of Inishowen. The utter lack of care, consideration and respect shown at Grianan, applies to all of Inishowen - lock, stock, barrel and heritage. 

                  

 

GRIANÁN AILIGH  [May 2008]
New painting project soon to go on exhibition in Inishowen: Grianán Ailigh [The Sun Palace of Aileach].

Grianán Ailigh  “…he built her a house set out with gold and silver and brass and gems, so that by night it was as brilliant as by day…”
 
If the truth be told, no-one knows who built Grianán Ailigh. It is shrouded by the same mists of oblivion that surround the deaths of John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe. We are doomed never to know the truth about any of these great unsolved mysteries.
 
The thread-bare facts of history mingle with the myths and legends. Beyond the historic period, into pre-history and the Stone Age, it’s really anyone’s guess what lay beneath or around the fortress on Greenan Mountain. So much alteration, so much occupation and re-occupation – not to mention the wanton vandalism not only of recent times but of the distant past. There is little hope now of ever understanding the full history of Grianán Ailigh – the Sun Palace of Aileach – and even less about the people associated with it, despite Dr. Walter Bernard’s arresting reconstruction of it, stone by stone, in the 1870s.
 
Directly above the beautiful McCormick-designed chapel stands Dr. Bernard’s restoration work: a stone fort known today as “Grianán Ailigh”. His model for it grew out of the remains of a structure originally built – according to Dr. Brian Lacy – about AD 789 by the common ancestors of the O’Neills, the McSweeneys and the McLaughlins. These ancestors once ruled the whole of Inishowen and were known then as Cenél nÉoghain – the Race of Owen. The O’Neills eventually went on to gain all of Co. Derry and Co. Tyrone and become one of the most powerful families in Ulster.
Many colourful myths have survived describing Grianán Ailigh: who built it and why, and who exactly dwelt in it at specific times, but it does appear that a “new” structure was built at some stage on top of a much earlier Bronze Age or Iron Age hilltop fort. The “new” structure may indeed have looked similar to the structure we see today. But there is some evidence in the early literature that there was once a beautiful building standing atop Greenan that was made from the red wood of the yew tree, but such a building would never have survived the centuries. The literature tells us that it was “…a house set out with gold and silver and brass and gems, so that by night it was as brilliant as by day…”
 
Apart from that, we know practically nothing about any of the structures, new or old; myths have all but obscured much of the real history up to about AD 789 when some expansion might have taken place. But even this may have been a monument of some kind rather than something possessing defensive and/or residential features. It’s likely too that activities and events on a nearby hill called Elaghmore – just across the political border with Northern Ireland – were somehow confused with those of Grianán Ailigh. Elaghmore was originally written “Aileach Mhór”, so one can see immediately how the two sites could easily have been merged into one mythical entity. “Aileach”, as a name, may even be a reference an ancient territory peopled by the Cenél nÉoghain covering a wider region that embraced both Grianán Ailigh and Aileach Mhór.
 
The subsequent history of Grianán Ailigh – from AD 789 to its demolition in 1101 by the King of Munster – is well documented insofar as specific dates have been established for the various battles and internecine killings that took place during that 300 year period. We are told also that from within those hallowed walls, so high up on the hill, sprung the great McLaughlin clan, and of course their cousins the O’Neills, but as well as that, so many High Kings of Ireland. Whether this is historically true or not, we can never be sure if anyone actually lived in Grianán Ailigh, or that it was indeed the seat of kings.
Did it have, I wonder, more of a symbolic use for the various tribes? Or was it used at some period for rituals or even stellar and solar observations?  Was it, in effect, the Newgrange of Ulster with most of its more telling features air-brushed out of existence? Whatever the truth is, its significance must never be underestimated. To this day it remains a lonely, magical place, perched on an even lonelier hill, and, as such, conceals more than it reveals of an illustrious past that in truth we may never really rediscover.
 
Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh
Inis Eoghain
Mí na Bealtaine, 2008
 

Recycled and other news

The meeting between councillors and an OPW representative seems finally to haven taken place around the end of April. Apparently, neither the people of Inishowen nor Donegal are worthy to receive information concerning the state and status of Grianan Aileach.

After an email from Anita Guidera from the Irish Independent, who tried in vain to find Grianan on an Irish tourism website, Failte Ireland responded and told her proudly on the 16th April, that Grianan Aileach “has only recently reopened a few weeks ago after major reconstruction works via the OPW hence the lack of presence on our consumer website. It has however, just been re-published on our consumer site” – a miscalculation by nearly a year. The gate of Grianan was re-opened at the end of April 2007 after it was taken down in June 2006.

Next news came from Maurice Harron, who sent a letter to Pauline Gleeson, Senior Archaeologist at the National Monuments Service for the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. According to their letters, ‘Chief Archaeologist Brian K. Duffy has taken charge of the matter and will issue a detailed reply after reviewing the works being carried out by OPW at the National monument’.

On May 14, Councillor Pádraig MacLochlainn forwarded a document the OPW sent him, called “GRIANA~2 opwapril”. In the summary of the document it reveals that its original title was “Grianan Aileach 2/09/06″ and is as usual a copy and paste statement with the addition of the assertion that Dr. Walter Bernard based his reconstruction of Grianan on Straigue Fort in Kerry. A remarkable conclusion indeed. Dr. Bernard mentioned it once on the first page of his report to the Royal Academy, since it is one of the few ringforts in Ireland with a similar platform interior and the best known .

Meanwhile, the OPW painted the very bright grey cement/concrete they used since the gate alteration in some shade of brown, so it won’t be so shiny, alienating and patio-like anymore. But they missed a few bits. And the same councillors, who should have at least attempted to take action for once in some recognisable manner against the pillage of the land, decided to take the Molasses Tower on the pier of Buncrana half way down instead, leaving it even more ruinous then before. The last one of its kind and with bags full of history. They left the rubbish though and the three rust ridden fishing vessels. The ferry started a few days ago and what an entry at arrival to Inishowen that must be. If brave visitors should decide to venture further despite this reception, they might find themselves stuck on the upper platform of Grianan, because the steps are now too steep and misshaped to come down and touch ground again.

Strange fruit

I received an email from the Tara Foundation, who got successfully in contact with the OPW, containing the following statement:

“Grianan Aileach has not be removed from the National Monuments List.
It will remain on the list and in State care as long as it is in State 
ownership. Grianan Aileach is not featured on the 
www.heritageireland.ie map as this is a map of Heritage sites with 
Visitor Centres only.

It is not within the OPW’s scope to remove monuments from the list, 
the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government would 
be the only department with this authority.”

Shame though, that not even the old version from 1999 is available anymore on any website

http://www.heritagedata.ie/en/NationalMonuments/

http://www.opw.ie/services/her/fr_her.htm

http://www.environ.ie/en/Heritage/Archaeology-NationalMonumentsService/ArchaeologicalSurveyofIrelandandArchive/#Record%20of%20Monuments%20and%20Places

and everyone is left guessing what may or may not be on this list. Old versions laying in libraries and town councils are long outdated. Time to publish a new List of National Monuments. Much has changed since. Duchas, the Heritage Service which compiled the list back then, has been abolished now for nearly four years. In Inishowen alone a great and unknown number of heritage sites have quitly disappeared to make space for business and retail parks as well as housing estates and big private villas. In the ten years I am here now, no one has declared any archaeological findings during building work in an area saturated with history. So much has been lost. An ill conceived motorway is ploughing its way through the Tara Valley and National monument or not, everything in its way got to go. Means of transport, means of living change quite frequently. But you can’t re-grow centuries and milleniums of a destroyed past.

      “Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
       For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
       For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
       Here is a strange and bitter crop.”

Grianan Aileach lost National monument status

And so very quietly. Some time ago. No one really knows when. No one really cares. No outcry. No rage nor anger. Not even a single question: Why? – is raised. Absolute silence.

In a statement to the Inish Times George Moir, press officer, OPW, “said they had a valid reason for omitting Grianán of Aileach from the national list“. Not that one is given or ever has been.

What was once put in place to protect the remaining riches of a ever struggling past is now being dismantled piece by piece. One small step in the overall scheme of proceedings in motion. A big one towards Grianan’s fall. The hotel is coming.

 

    

“And we, spectators, always, everywhere,

turning towards all and never beyond!

It overwhelms us. We arrange it. It falls apart.

We arrange it again and fall apart ourselves. “

Rainer Maria Rilke, Achte Duineser Elegie, 1922

Grianan Aileach in the care of the State

It has yet to be established when the ringfort of stone was built on top of Greenan Hill but the earthworks and now lost souterrain (underground chamber) originate from as early as the Stone and Bronze Age. The geographical position of the hill and therefore everything placed on its top enjoys not only vast views but also a very commanding position. The ringfort itself was attacked and destroyed on three known occasions. The last took place in 1101 as Murtagh O’Brien, King of Munster, plundered Inishowen in an act of revenge and ordered his men to billet the stones of Aileach “on the horses of the king of the West”. Only a few stones actually made the journey all the way to Limerick but the destruction was long-term, since 700 years had to pass until the ‘discovery’ of the ruin of Grianan Aileach at the beginning of the 1800’s. Subsequently great interest was taken into this antiquity and in 1874 an architect from Derry, Dr. Walter Bernard, took it upon himself to restore the ruin and prevent it from further damage from souvenir-hungry visitors. He finished in 1878 and a grand re-opening was held. He left a detailed account of his restoration in the proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, finishing that” it be taken charge of under the Act likely soon to come into force for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments. – Jan. 30th, 1879″.

Grianan Aileach went into the care of the then British OPW in 1904 and seemed to be mentioned in 76th Annual Report of Commissioners of Public Works 1907/08 regarding the state of the monument. A verbal request to receive a copy of this document was denied in November 2006.

Between 1878 and 1904 damage occurred on the monument and it still has to be established what the extent of this damage was and more importantly what caused it. Dr. Bernard described in his report the reason of previous damage to the fort:

“An account of the rapid destruction of the Grianan is given by Mr. Godwin, F.S.A., in the April number of the Architect for 1872. He states that at the time of his visit in March, 1858, the masonry was in a very dilapidated condition, owing in a great part to the labours of some gentleman, who many years ago evinced, more curiosity than care in searching after subterranean passages, &c.: since which time this interesting work of antiquity has deplorably suffered by the summer invasion of visitors from the neighbouring city – indeed, to such an extent that the drawings of the fort, taken at the time of the Ordnance Survey, have literally become matters of history, for the inclined jambs, the interior terrace with its steps, the small central building, and many other features of note which then existed are now no more. These statements, from reliable witnesses, are sufficient to convince anyone that what had lain concealed and disregarded for centuries would, by the unthinking, careless, and curious, be soon reduced to nothing. Probably this work of spoliation might still have advanced with a more rapid pace, inasmuch as newspaper writers of late years have been drawing the attention of the general public to the locality.”

In a statement made to the Donegal Democrat on October 3, 2006, Aaron Gracey, Events Coordinator, Public Relations Department, OPW, listed “Sample extracts from Derry Journal on OPW file recording recurring damage to site:

“14/4/1939 Vandalism at Aileach

16/5/1961 Grianan damage to be repaired

29/12 /1989 Grianan of Aileach badly damaged”

In November 2000 the Lough Swilly / west facing wall collapsed. Repair work finished at the beginning of 2003.

In September 2003 the Lough Swilly / west facing wall collapsed.

At the beginning of summer 2005 the Lough Swilly / west facing wall collapsed.

In June 2006 the gate section was dismantled and rebuilt.

In June 2007 the Lough Swilly / west facing wall was dismantled and rebuilt.

Statements made by the OPW

03/10/2003 Derry Journal

The Office of Public Works yesterday defended its decision to use concrete to rebuild a collapsed section of the historic Grianan of Aileach ringfort in Burt.
However, the OPW conservation architect in charge of the restoration works at Grianan of Aileach, told the ‘Journal’ yesterday that the use of concrete was essential in order to ensure the safety of the many tourists who visit the fort. Paul McMahon said the practice was “acceptable” as the repair work was not to the original ancient structure but to Dr Bernard’s 1870 extensive reconstruction of the fort, which was once the throne of the High Kings of Ireland.
“We are now making good the poor restoration work done in the 1970’s,” he said. “Two specialists, an engineer and an archaeologist, have been monitoring and advising on the work currently being carried out on the ancient building. The stabilising concrete is being put into the core of the wall at the depth of up to two metres while the dry stone facing is the then built to the front.”
“In the international world concrete is used extensively – you see it in the Colosseum in Rome. Primarily the role is to make it safe for visitors,” he added.

In treaties and conventions signed by the Irish government it is clearly stated “The conservation of a monument implies preserving a setting which is not out of scale. Wherever the traditional setting exists, it must be kept. No new construction, demolition or modification which would alter the relations of mass and colour must be allowed. … The moving of all or part of a monument cannot be allowed except where the safeguarding of that monument demands it or where it is justified by national or international interest of paramount importance.” and that “any measures adopted should be “reversible” so that they can be removed and replaced with more suitable measures when new knowledge is acquired. Where they are not completely reversible, interventions should not limit further interventions.”

The colosseum in Rome (http://www.the-colosseum.net/idx-en.htm) was built from travertin stone or Roman cement, the first concrete. Roman builders were also aware that a foundation is needed for this kind of construction and excavated accordingly in 70 AD.

Grianan Aileach stands on solid rock without foundation, since its original design was a dry stone construction which does not require such feature. In buildings and walls with mortar, cement or concrete as binding component between stones or bricks the foundation is essential to the structural integrity. Adding concrete to Grianan Aileach has therefore increased the instability of the monument, since no foundation has been excavated prior to the use of concrete.

08/07/2004 Tom Parlon, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance; reply to Parliamentary Question by Cecilia Keaveney, TD, regarding Grianan Aileach.

A scheme has been devised to prevent structural collapse at this monument. This involves the dismantling of sections which have collapsed or are liable to collapse and the construction of an embedded concrete wall in this areas. Reconstruction of the dry stone walls enveloping the concrete wall will take place as individual sections of the concrete wall are completed.

Work commenced in 2003 and will continue until 2005.

In the case of the Lough Swilly/west facing section of this monument the methods employed are not just in breach of international conventions but also highly unsuccessful. To my knowledge there is no other monument in the world which needed to be rebuilt that many times in such short amount of time.

27/09/2006 Aaron Gracey, Events Coordinator, Public Relations Department, OPW, statement to the Donegal Democrat

Dr. Walter Bernard, a local resident, carried out re-building of the monument between the years of 1874-1878. Following a series of major collapses of the restored structure, the monument was placed in State Care in 1904. Local repairs were carried out at the time but due to the unsatisfactory nature of the restored external masonry works and rubble/earth centre fill, sectional collapse continued at regular intervals.

In 2001, a specialist structural engineering and archaeological survey was undertaken by OPW. It revealed the lower original sections of the wall and confirmed the reasons for the monuments instability. The original inward leaning, stable profile and line of the Grianan wall was established and the monument is now being restored to that design.

Two of the three workers on the site are qualified stonemasons.

To the best of our knowledge there is no cement being used to repair the site at present.

The present intervention should considerably improve the future stability of the monument and ensure safe public access to the site.

03/10/2006 Aaron Gracey, Events Coordinator, Public Relations Department, OPW, statement to the Donegal Democrat

Grianan Aileach 3/09/06

As stated in the previous response, a local man, Dr. Walter Bernard rebuilt the site of Grianan Aileach between 1874 and 1878. However, in the absence of archaeological evidence for its original appearance, he modelled the rebuild on the relatively intact Staigue Iron Age Fort in County Kerry.History of collapse and need for more  permanent repair methodWhen the site came into State Care approximately thirty years later the restored walls were already in a dilapidated state with extensive collapse of the outer stonework. Despite OPW efforts to carry out patch repair work to the monument over the next 80 years the files show that Bernard’s work was unstable and collapse was reoccurring on a regular basis.In 1989, following another major collapse and short term patch repair work, OPW undertook to monitor the condition of the monument and investigate intervention methods that could stabilise the structure. Immediately following the next collapse a specialist multi-disciplinary team was assembled by OPW to address the problem. In 2001, a detailed archaeological and engineering investigation was undertaken which revealed sections of the line of the ancient pre-restoration structure and confirmed the shape and outline of Bernard’s work.Due to the significant amenity value of Bernard’s restored monument OPW considered that it would not be appropriate or feasible to dismantle and remove Bernard’s restored stonework and to leave the site in its pre-restoration collapsed state. The engineer recommended that the bulging sections of walling, which were liable to collapse should be dismantled and rebuilt to Bernard’s inward sloping design.

Due to the instability of the underlying surviving stonework modern reinforced concrete supports were inserted at the base of the rebuilt sections over the lintols of the internal passageways. All external walling would be constructed by OPW craftsmen to match Bernard’s design but with a sound central fill which would considerably improve the structures future stability. The use of modern materials in the preservation of ancient structures is standard conservation practise.

The wall tops are secured with a cement finish in an effort to prevent frost damage and interference causing stone collapse and resultant risk to the visitor.

09/11/2006 Paul McMahon, Senior Conservation Architect OPW, to the RTE Nine O’Clock News

The Grianan Aileach profile has been change but what was perceived as an intrinsic bulge, they say, was actually due to a problem with the major restoration in the late 1800’s by a Dr. Bernard. “They were very poorly built. The core was made of clay. So what we are actually looking at when we were looking at those bulges was another area of potential collapse.” But now he says, modern conservation methods combined with the special design using reinforced concrete has given a stable footing to the Grianan which will hope to reopen next summer.

24/05/2007 Cathy Bruton, Private Secretary, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Ref: REP2521/DR/07)

 I have been asked by Dick Roche T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, to refer further to your recent correspondence in relation to Grianan Aileach. Grianan Aileach is a National Monument in State care and as such, the day to day management and maintenance of this monument is a matter for the Office of Public Works (OPW). It is understood that the OPW has received a copy of your correspondence and a direct reply will issue from the OPW. 

12/07/2007 Noel Ahern, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Finance and OPW (Ref: C/MD – 2004/575)

I refer again to your recent correspondence regarding the National Monument, Grianan Aileach at Inishowen, Co. Donegal. The reasons for concrete use in the conservation work on Grianan Aileach are follows.

In 2001 a detailed archaeological and engineering investigation was undertaken which revealed sections of the line of the disturbed ancient pre restoration structure and confirmed the shape and outline of Dr. Walter Bernards work (1874-1878). Because of the significant amenity value of Bernards restored monument, OPW considered that it would not be appropriate or feasible to dismantle and remove Bernards restored stonework and to leave the site in its pre restoration collapsed state. The engineer recommended that the bulging sections of walling which were liable to collapse should be dismantled and rebuilt to Bernards inward sloping design. Due to the instability of the underlying surviving stonework modern reinforced concrete supports were inserted at the base of the rebuilt sections and over the lintels of the internal passageways.

All external walling is constructed by OPW craftsmen to match Bernards design but with a sound central fill which would considerably improve the structures future stability.The use of modern materials in the preservation of ancient structures is standard conservation practise.

The wall tops are secured with a mortar finish in an effort to prevent interference causing stone collapse and the resultant risk to the visitor.

As stated Grianan Aileach is” in State care and as such, the day to day management and maintenance of this monument is a matter for the Office of Public Works (OPW)”. Therefore all repair work with the exception of one and since 1904 has been carried out by the OPW. Since Dr. Walter Bernard did not use in his restoration clay for the core nor a rubble/earth centre fill, these can be only later additions. Previous collapses provided an insight into the cross section of the wall and I can confirm a rubble/earth centre fill, which would by its very nature create movement and as such instability to a wall and is most likely the result of short term patch repair work.

Criticism of Dr. Bernard’s work seems to be unfounded. “It is sometimes said that we must view the present cashel with a certain amount of doubt because `it is only a reconstruction`, but a study of the description, plans and sketches in Colby’s Survey will show that Dr. Bernard’s reconstruction was remarkably accurate.” But “Various repairs to the cashel itself, unfortunately necessitated by vandalism over the years, have not always seemed to be accurate.” Mabel R. Colhoun, “The Heritage of Inishowen – Its Archaeology, History and Folklore.”

Statements made concerning the instability of the underlying surviving stonework seem also disputable, since the fort stood for at least several centuries before its so far final destruction in 1101 and its ruin remained stable and standing for over 700 years until ‘the summer invasion of visitors’ in the second part of the 19th century. And since Dr. Bernard rebuilt Grianan on its surviving remains and marked these with tar to distinguish between his reconstruction and the original structure, a line of the disturbed ancient pre restoration structure has not been caused by Dr. Bernard.

Clarification also seems to be needed concerning the OPW conclusion of Dr. Bernard’s work. If his work was unstable and collapse was reoccurring on a regular basis, than it seems logical not to match current work to his design.

The special design using reinforced concrete to considerably improve the structures future stability has produced in the last 8 years 3 collapses and 2 dismantlings of sections of the wall, compared to the 3 accounts of damage between 1939 and 1989.

No records have been so far provided, concerning the day to day management and maintenance of this monument, and I am not aware of any such work carried out at Grianan Aileach on a scheduled basis at any time to prevent further and greater damage to the fort and according to statements made by the OPW, work was carried out after damage had occurred to the monument. The ‘overnight’ collapses of the west section of the wall in 2000, 2003 and 2005 seem to confirm that and their failure to inspect this monument must be called irresponsible and negligent towards the safety of the visitors, who stand on top of this wall to admire the views.

Since the OPW is receiving payment from the State and therefore public money for the upkeep of the National monuments in its care, records should be available to the public to show how much has been spent and on what over the years on the day to day management and maintenance of this monument and the expense of the restoration work.

And there are questions over stones removed from the monument, which have become excessive and obsolete over recent years through the use of concrete. The culmination of these stones could be seen until July 2007 beside the monument and can now be found further down the hill dumped in a field, despite the Grenada Convention of 1985 which was signed by the Irish Government.

Article 5

Each Party undertakes to prohibit the removal, in whole or in part, of any protected monument, except where the material safeguarding of such monuments makes removal imperative. In these circumstances the competent authority shall take the necessary precautions for its dismantling, transfer and reinstatement at a suitable location.

The same and subsequent conventions also state:

Each Party undertakes:

• to implement appropriate supervision and authorisation procedures as required by the legal protection of the properties in question;
• to prevent the disfigurement, dilapidation or demolition of protected properties. To this end, each Party undertakes to introduce, if it has not already done so, legislation which:
• requires the submission to a competent authority of any scheme for the demolition or alteration of monuments which are already protected, or in respect of which protection proceedings have been instituted, as well as any scheme affecting their surroundings;
• requires the submission to a competent authority of any scheme affecting a group of buildings or a part thereof or a site which involves:

1. demolition of buildings,
2. the erection of new buildings,
3. substantial alterations which impair the character of the buildings or the site

In 2003, Duchas – The Irish Heritage Service, was abolished and most functions and responsibilities for the protection of historic monuments were redistributed to the OPW. But since a specialist structural engineering and archaeological survey was undertaken by OPW in 2001 and therefore before the OPW was in a position to make submissions to itself, the scheme devised, involving the dismantling of sections which have collapsed or are liable to collapse and the construction of an embedded concrete wall in this areas, should have been submitted to Duchas for approval. Such document has not been mentioned in statements.

In 2004 Irish law was changed and the role of a competent authority was given to a single minister.

“The Minister in exercising discretion under paragraph (a) of this subsection is not restricted to archaeological considerations but is entitled to consider the public interest in allowing the carrying out of works notwithstanding that such works may involve-
(i) injury to or interference with the national monument concerned,
or
(ii) the destruction in whole or in part of the national monument concerned.”

Since the minister referred to above is the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, documents concerning interference with the national monument and the destruction in whole or in part, should be in the hands of this department as well as correspondence from and with the Department of Finance and OPW referring to the work carried out at Grianan Aileach and should be made available.

The OPW’s craftsmanship and care employed at this monument have so far only produced a record of collapse and ongoing interference which by no means provided stability of the monument and ensure safe public access to the site. Because basic laws of physics and construction have been ignored, a rigorous schedule of monitoring the structural integrity and condition of the wall should be put into place.