Unfair Irish metal detecting laws

[collectorconor]

Hi all, anyone from Ireland on here? I just want to complain about the unfair and unjust laws regarding metal detecting in Ireland at the moment.
According to the recent advice notes 'thimbles,coins,buckles,strap ends,pendants,medallions', the list goes on, are classed as 'archaeologically significant' and 'may include 20th century material'. People at the national museum are dead against metal detecting and theres no clubs or anything here. They complain day in day out that we are 'disturbing archaeological layers' by metal detecting, yet deep ploughing and turf cutting are legal. I feel that because they cant do anything about farming etc, they pick on the small community of metal detectorists. And archaeologists remove about 5 feet of earth before they begin an excavation,as that soil 'no longer holds anything of significance'! And youd have a bloody good detector to detect anything more than 5 feet yet they complain that were removing 'archaeological objects'.These legislations in Ireland are extremely unfair and I hope change will come soon.

 

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[littlebear]

Hi MY great grandfather is from Ireland and ive allways wanted to dig there but after reading youre blog i really fell sad for anybody trying to enjoy the hobby there as unfair as the goverement there sounds wish there was some way I could help Ill just keep on praying for you guys good luck and keep diging dirt. mike

 

[cudamark]

Sounds unfair to me also. Does this apply to all lands? Public, private, beaches, parks, etc?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

Hi all, anyone from Ireland on here? I just want to complain about the unfair and unjust laws regarding metal detecting in Ireland at the moment.
According to the recent advice notes 'thimbles,coins,buckles,strap ends,pendants,medallions', the list goes on, are classed as 'archaeologically significant' and 'may include 20th century material'. People at the national museum are dead against metal detecting and theres no clubs or anything here. They complain day in day out that we are 'disturbing archaeological layers' by metal detecting, yet deep ploughing and turf cutting are legal. I feel that because they cant do anything about farming etc, they pick on the small community of metal detectorists. And archaeologists remove about 5 feet of earth before they begin an excavation,as that soil 'no longer holds anything of significance'! And youd have a bloody good detector to detect anything more than 5 feet yet they complain that were removing 'archaeological objects'.These legislations in Ireland are extremely unfair and I hope change will come soon.

collectorconor, I read in your post the word "archaeoglist" or "archaeoligical" 4 times. When you reference how they that say/enact the things you lament. Ok: aren't you glad someone way-back-then asked the archies there in Ireland, what their opinion of md'ing was? So that you'd have this post to document the un-fairness of their opinions?

On the contrary! I bet you'd never wished it had crossed an archie's desk for their consideration, to begin with, eh? Ok, hint hint? Moral-of-the-story?: Don't ask an archie his opinion of md'ing!

 

[Silver Searcher]

Hi all, anyone from Ireland on here? I just want to complain about the unfair and unjust laws regarding metal detecting in Ireland at the moment.
According to the recent advice notes 'thimbles,coins,buckles,strap ends,pendants,medallions', the list goes on, are classed as 'archaeologically significant' and 'may include 20th century material'. People at the national museum are dead against metal detecting and theres no clubs or anything here. They complain day in day out that we are 'disturbing archaeological layers' by metal detecting, yet deep ploughing and turf cutting are legal. I feel that because they cant do anything about farming etc, they pick on the small community of metal detectorists. And archaeologists remove about 5 feet of earth before they begin an excavation,as that soil 'no longer holds anything of significance'! And youd have a bloody good detector to detect anything more than 5 feet yet they complain that were removing 'archaeological objects'.These legislations in Ireland are extremely unfair and I hope change will come soon.

Because you keep finding the stuff they want to sell themselves, they are all crooks, I wouldn't tell one of them were a birds nest was.

SS

 

[austin]

I know, blame the British and demand change. Use a Northern Ireland P.O. Box and hope for the best...

 

[Rawhide]

Well I would be plowing then and not detecting. Put a john deer sticker on that detector. Beat at thier own game.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

question

Well I would be plowing then and not detecting. Put a john deer sticker on that detector. Beat at thier own game.

Question for you: When a person goes to do such a thing, do they inquire ahead of time to the proper authorities if this is a valid way to detect? Or do they just do it (with a table-spoon of common sense as to good timing), without asking anyone "can I?"

 

[doc-d]

MD, dig, shut up..........that is the answer...