Journal Volume 1 1992
Chairman's Report - Annual General Meeting, March 29th 1990
Since this Society was formed on 5 Dec. 1988, we have held lectures, outings, and run a highly successful Competition for Primary students in Greystones. We have also been successful in our bid to host the Annual Spring Seminar of the Federation of Local History Societies. When we look at the aims and objectives of our Society as set out in the Constitution we have reason to feel that, while we have enjoyed noticeable successes, there remain some areas in which more effort need to be concentrated.
The first object of the Society is to preserve and protect the sites of Archaeological and Historical interest in the North Wicklow area. Unfortunately the damage to, and destruction of, archaeological sites continues unabated. The rath behind the Christian Brothers school has been built over, but at least there was an archaeologist from the Office of Public Works present before construction began and two trial trenches were dug but nothing was found.
The damage caused to the large ringfort at Coolnaskeagh by the landowner resulted in the loss to future archaeological excavation of one of the best examples of a ringfort to be found in this area.
I noticed only this week that a new track has been constructed in Kindlestown Wood which covers the area where one would expect to find the continuation of the inner bank of the hillfort, if there is in fact a hillfort on Kindlestown Hill.
Two houses have been built in close proximity to Killincarrig Castle, making any future development of this building into a local heritage centre much less likely. A new house is also being built very close to Kindlestown Castle and, as far as I am aware, there has been no professional archaeologist involved in either development.
A large amount of land has been eroded on the Cliff Walk at the site of the village of Rathdown, so anything which may have been there has been washed away.
The preservation and protection of sites will always be a difficult aim to fulfill but it is important that we should do our best to keep a watchful eye on the sites and immediately inform the Office of Public Works whenever we notice a site being endangered or threatened.
The second object of the Society is to gather and record information pertaining to local archaeology, genealogy and local history and to publish this information regularly. At present we have not addressed this aim but we hope that we can generate enough interest among the members to get some articles submitted for publication.
