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A LEADING ARCHAEOLOGIST has criticised the sale of metal detectors by a well-known supermarket chain, warning that their use by amateurs is illegal in Ireland.
The metal detectors were spotted on sale at the chain in recent days, with packaging encouraging children aged 8 years and older to use them to find “hidden treasure”.
Under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014, it is illegal to possess a detection device at protected monuments and sites, and to use a detector to search for artefacts anywhere within the State or its territorial seas without a licence.
It is also against to sell such products under the same legislation, and the product has since been removed from the supermarket’s shelves.
Dr Sharon Greene of Archaeology Ireland magazine told The Journal that licences issued for the use of metal detectors by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht usually requires a qualification to obtain.
She explains that laws around the use of metal detectors are in place to protect Ireland’s heritage from things like illegal trade and damage to archaeological sites, and to ensure that any artefacts discovered are reported to museums or other appropriate authorities.
“The best way to explain it is that when somebody removes an artefact from the ground, it might be in a known archaeological site or an unknown archaeological site where there’s no surface evidence,” she says.
“It could be a stray artefact that somebody dropped walking across the field that’s just in the topsoil.
“And when you remove that, you’re removing it from its context. For archaeologists to understand the past, context is key – it’ll give you lots of information.”
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Dr Greene believes that many people are not aware that the use of metal detectors by hobbyists is illegal in Ireland, particularly because they are used to seeing it on TV.
“People watch the detectorists and all these programmes from the UK, where the legislation is completely different,” she says.
“And we as a profession don’t often enough remind people that the legislation here is actually different and you can’t go and do what they’re doing.
“Obviously it happens, and you’ve got people who know that what they’re doing is wrong, but who don’t care and they think they should be able to do it.
“You’re entitled to disagree with the law, but you’re not entitled to break the law.”
She also suggests the sale of metal detectors in places like supermarkets will naturally lead people to think that their use is okay.
“When these things are put in front of you, with a nice attractive box that’s appealing to young people to get involved in it [...] you’d assume it wasn’t an illegal activity,” she says.
“But the fact that it says on the box to ‘use them to go and find treasure’, you’re really not supposed to do that.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the supermarket chain told The Journal yesterday that the company was in contact with the National Museum of Ireland about the sale of the metal detector.
A spokesman for the National Museum of Ireland today confirmed that the detectors were no longer for sale, following discussions with the company.
“At the request of the National Museum of Ireland the detection devices for sale in the supermarket referred to in the article have been withdrawn from sale,” a statement said.
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@Aranthos Faroth: Yeah, super safe to try and arrest dozens and do crowd control for hundreds in a pandemic. Get everyone in one room is the perfect plan.
The organisers know it’s a good way of scamming “edgy” rule breakers and Covid deniers out of 20 quid.
Advertising widely a secret rave for 5,000 people – on FB, Insta and SnapChat – saying the Gardai will never find it etc !
They know it’s never going to happen and will just keep the money they’ve already been paid through the multiple PayPal a/c’s they’ve set up.
Legally restrictions end on 5th March so how is it illegal. I understand they may be extended but there are plenty of gigs organised throughout the year. Electric Picnic is still advertising as going ahead. Surely it wouldn’t become illegal until the restrictions were extended. Not condoning the event, I would openly condemn it, just a question on the legality of the sanctions imposed.
@Paddy Cullen AIWS: I’m fairly sure EP has no licence for 2021 event which they are advertising on FB but that is irrelevant to why the rave was removed. If fb are to be consistent this should be taken down too.
@Gavin Linden: EP is an official event advising with a time date and venue. They will have already engaged with the relevant authorities in relation to holding an event for 2021. Garda will have been asked to provide crowd control. They will have supplied a site plan along with safety plans incase of in emergency. Huge difference between EP and the illegal rave that was planned. I hope FB and PayPal provide garda siochana with the details of all the organisers and prospective attendees.
@Alan Leahy: so u think if restrictions are eased U can bring a Hugh crowd into a warehouse & no problem, U would have to be Brain dead to think that is ok , Dr Ronan Glynn only the other day saying it would be at least 6 months before we could have gatherings of 50 people Do u actually know what is happening at present
@Declan Doherty: if it was an illegal rave the person involved could possibly be prosecuted under conspiracy to commit a crime laws. Highly unlikely but always that chance.
@Gavin Linden: it was removed because under current restrictions as all large events are cancelled. Anyone who thinks that the government will go from no one attending an event to 1200 people attending events on 5th March needs to get help. The government has said that we won’t see any major relaxing on restrictions till mid summer. Electric picnic is planned for the end of September. Everyone knows that if restrictions are extended EP won’t happen we can’t say the same about the illegal rave that was planned.
The breakdown of demographics by age include:
51% of 13–17 year olds use Facebook
76% of 18–24 year olds use Facebook
84% of 25–30 year olds use Facebook
79% of 30–49 year olds use Facebook
68% of 50–64 year olds use Facebook
46% of 65+ year olds use Facebook
@Aranthos Faroth:
68% of 50–64 year olds use Facebook??!
That seems very high, is that a percent of every body? I’m in that category and I actually no none of my friends actually use it. A few family members only.
@Diarmuid Kelly: yes. I pulled exactly that. It’s surprising how much marketing analysis is targeted and driven to that single geographic location. How did you know?
When are the government going to grow a pair and come out and tell us what is there plan over the next few months or are we going to learn everything from leaks through twitter
Take down forever,this St Patrick’s Day will be never celebrated like before under this circumstance,we must keep pictures form previous celebrations at least we can show our kids a piece of history and how was normal times before covid.
@Matty J Molloy: they never said that. If you actually read the terms of use for any social media website they all say that using their platform for illegal purposes can lead to you being banned. They are looking after their own business.
Someone cleaverly pointed it out that there is nothing illegal about it as it’s after March 5th and no restrictions confirmed beyond then. I think Ticketmaster gave actually sold tickets for events in the summer and they likely won’t go ahead either.
@Brian Murphy: holding a large scale event without a licence is illegal. When you buy tickets from ticketmaster they always sold “subject to licence” event licence is only granted after a review of the venue, and its safety plan. Has the organisers notified the local authorities they intend to hold the even? Nope Has the organisers arranged for garda to police the event and offer crowd control? Definitely not.
That makes this kind of event illegal every day of the year.
@barry moore: Fair enough but that is not why they removed it. Their removal cited illegal under covid rules. So if the rave organisers put it back up with ‘subject to license’ everything will be ok?
If fb are to be consistent the likes of Electric picnic pages should be removed immediately too.
@barry moore: we don’t know these answers until the relevant bodies release that information. It’s all just speculation, we don’t know the facts. Sure a walk to visit my mother’s house is now apparently illegal, I wonder how many criminals we have in Ireland these days. They’ll need to start building jails
@Gavin Linden: that would be up to the FB moderator but highly unlikely, but possibly if they were a registered company and went about it the right way. The organisers of EP are actual company called Festival Republic and they will have started the applications to get the licences for the event long ago. They will have notified An garda siochana of their intention to hold a large scale event and have emergency plans in place.
@Mark Dowling: we do know they didn’t have a licence they weren’t telling anyone where the venue was till 12hours before. All licence applications have to appear in the local newspapers to allow people to object if the have grounds to before being approvedby local authorities. They also said An garda siochana will never know where the event is. By law an garda siochana have to be informed about large scale events.
@Mark Dowling: if that is the case that is false advertising. Your clutching at straws with the village newspapers idea. FB moderators will have done the research into it before removing it and more than likely contacted relevant authorities. Having seen the advert for it I can safely say it wasn’t legit. More than likely a scam and I’d be delighted If that’s what it turns out to be.
@barry moore: no a fair point, I did know that, facebook wouldn’t have known that for definite or shouldn’t have at least and wasn’t the reason it was removed. Was to due with projected restrictions
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