Metal Detectors in Ireland

Debon

Metal Detecting as A Hobby CAN be enjoyed in the Republic Of Ireland as long as certain legal obligations relating to the Purchase, ownership and use of the detection device is adhered to. Devices supplied through the Irish metal detectors association (AMDAI) qualify as devices supplied in accordance with the national monuments act and come with I.d. cards etc., and then the user must observe the act (all members have access to maps of restricted areas etc)

www.detectorsireland.com

is the place to go for more info. I got my one from them and am enjoying the peace of mind.

kieranhenno110

dam, this irish law is stubid ! in england anybody can metal detect, so the english can find english objects but the irish cant find find english objects in ireland because it is illegal, pretty much everything in ireland that you could find comes from england because england ruled this country for hundreds of years so its not really irish?

Fighting Irish

kieranhenno110 wrote: »

dam, this irish law is stubid ! in england anybody can metal detect, so the english can find english objects but the irish cant find find english objects in ireland because it is illegal, pretty much everything in ireland that you could find comes from england because england ruled this country for hundreds of years so its not really irish?

Stupid laws alright but i can't see them changing any time soon

I'd love if something like this http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ was set up in ireland

maolmuaidh

stapeler wrote: »

Here's a piece about a conviction in the midlands a few years ago. Do a google and you'll find a few related stories.



Metal detectors may lead to iron bars
By Cormac O’Keeffe

DO NOT buy or accept metal detectors as presents this Christmas or you could end up spending the new year in jail, an expert warned yesterday. And shops and manufacturers were told not to advertise metal detectors as they were making potential criminals of buyers. Antiquities expert Dr Ned Kelly made the comments yesterday as selected items from a hoard of 800 artifacts, which were recovered from thieves, were put on display at the National Museum. “We would advise people coming up to Christmas, not to give or receive metal detectors. “They run the risk of finding themselves before the courts, and even run the risk of imprisonment,” Dr Kelly said. It is illegal to dig for archeological objects and to use metal detectors for such a purpose without a special licence. Dr Kelly said advertisements were running in national papers promoting metal detectors, including junior versions for €12.50. The National Museum’s antiquities curator said one supermarket was also promoting them, unaware they were making potential criminals of buyers. Dr Kelly unveiled a number of items recovered from a massive artifact theft involving more than 800 items. These included a rare gold covered Christian mount from Lorrha, Co Tipperary, featuring a crucifix in a circular frame. The mount is thought to have an insurance value to up to €50,000. Other items on display were two Bronze Age daggers, an Iron Age pin, musket balls and hundreds of perfectly preserved coins with the month and the year of minting still visible. “We are giving people an opportunity to see this significant and important material.
Not to have documented it and the material collected would have been a significant loss,” said Dr Kelly. Anthony Molloy, a 68-year-old former Duchas employee, and his 44-year-old son Kevin, were last week found guilty at Birr District Court of being in the possession of archeological objects. Judge Michael Reilly gave them the probation act partly because they had co-operated fully with the National Museum. The court had heard that Anthony Molloy had been given a metal detector as a retirement present. The father and son went on to raid monastic sites and castles near their north Tipperary home. Dr Kelly advised people who have information on the use of metal detectors to contact the gardaí or the National Museum on 01-6777444.
http://www.examiner.ie/[/QUOTE]
this is the piece that was printed in the examiner at the time,i wanted to sue them for false reporting but my father was so distressed by the whole episode that i did'nt.
we did have items in our possession,and we pleaded guilty to that in a deal which was made at the time.they were not found in any monument sites,but in fields the were not protected,and judge o'reilly made prof. kelly admit that we had found some previously unknown sites.we had only started detecting 3 months previously and were'nt sure of the law,but as soon as we found the bronze age items and the mount we were trying to find out how best to hand them over.after a few enquiries we learned that we could be prosecuted just for having them,we were trying to find out if there was any way to give them up without getting into trouble.however before we could do that the gardai and prof kelly arrived and we were charged.
after the case was over prof kelly went on a publicity drive,and this article was one of those that he gave to newspapers.if you want to hear a more unbiased one i'd suggest the irish times article on the same.the deal struck involved the third person,my brother who at the time was an agent for minelab detectors,which are manufactured in bandon.our three detectors were seized and four more new ones he had for clients never used in the boxes.if my father and myself pleaded guilty to possession,they said they keep the detectors and drop the charges against my brother,we agreed,i'm sorry we did now because some of the methods used by those people could have had the case thrown out if we had fought it,but for my fathers sake we agreed,we did'nt want him to have any more stress.most of the items were junk by the way,bits of nails,buttons etc.
we were made out to be criminals by the publicity afterwards,whereas in reality we were just enjoying a hobby not realising how much trouble we could get into.what we were doing would have been perfectly legal in most of the other european countries and there would have been a system in place by which we could have handed over our finds without fear of prosecution.i said i had to come on here to at least get the story straight.
kevin molloy.

maolmuaidh

just to follow up on my last post,i am willing to give my side of the story to the examiner if they wish,since we were never given the opportunity at the time,i think it would only be fair after the false reports in that article.

kingofslaves

I've just read this thread and quite frankly I'm appauled at the laws here. It's like ireland is still IN the iron age ! As has been said in the UK you can use a detector anywhere so long as you have permission and you don't damge anything. Farmers are usually pretty pleased if you find anything as they like to know they have some history on thier land. In fact if you offer them a small 'finders fee' they like it even more !

I used my detector under the pier in Weston Super Mare, used to find lots of money as it had wooden floorboards and people would drop coins through the gaps ! maolmuaidh I hope you get to tell your side of your story and hopefully this will clear up any misunderstandings.

robp

A likely story! Your not fooling anyone.

maolmuaidh wrote: »

stapeler wrote: »

Here's a piece about a conviction in the midlands a few years ago. Do a google and you'll find a few related stories.



Metal detectors may lead to iron bars
By Cormac O’Keeffe

DO NOT buy or accept metal detectors as presents this Christmas or you could end up spending the new year in jail, an expert warned yesterday. And shops and manufacturers were told not to advertise metal detectors as they were making potential criminals of buyers. Antiquities expert Dr Ned Kelly made the comments yesterday as selected items from a hoard of 800 artifacts, which were recovered from thieves, were put on display at the National Museum. “We would advise people coming up to Christmas, not to give or receive metal detectors. “They run the risk of finding themselves before the courts, and even run the risk of imprisonment,” Dr Kelly said. It is illegal to dig for archeological objects and to use metal detectors for such a purpose without a special licence. Dr Kelly said advertisements were running in national papers promoting metal detectors, including junior versions for €12.50. The National Museum’s antiquities curator said one supermarket was also promoting them, unaware they were making potential criminals of buyers. Dr Kelly unveiled a number of items recovered from a massive artifact theft involving more than 800 items. These included a rare gold covered Christian mount from Lorrha, Co Tipperary, featuring a crucifix in a circular frame. The mount is thought to have an insurance value to up to €50,000. Other items on display were two Bronze Age daggers, an Iron Age pin, musket balls and hundreds of perfectly preserved coins with the month and the year of minting still visible. “We are giving people an opportunity to see this significant and important material.
Not to have documented it and the material collected would have been a significant loss,” said Dr Kelly. Anthony Molloy, a 68-year-old former Duchas employee, and his 44-year-old son Kevin, were last week found guilty at Birr District Court of being in the possession of archeological objects. Judge Michael Reilly gave them the probation act partly because they had co-operated fully with the National Museum. The court had heard that Anthony Molloy had been given a metal detector as a retirement present. The father and son went on to raid monastic sites and castles near their north Tipperary home. Dr Kelly advised people who have information on the use of metal detectors to contact the gardaí or the National Museum on 01-6777444.
http://www.examiner.ie/[/QUOTE]
this is the piece that was printed in the examiner at the time,i wanted to sue them for false reporting but my father was so distressed by the whole episode that i did'nt.
we did have items in our possession,and we pleaded guilty to that in a deal which was made at the time.they were not found in any monument sites,but in fields the were not protected,and judge o'reilly made prof. kelly admit that we had found some previously unknown sites.we had only started detecting 3 months previously and were'nt sure of the law,but as soon as we found the bronze age items and the mount we were trying to find out how best to hand them over.after a few enquiries we learned that we could be prosecuted just for having them,we were trying to find out if there was any way to give them up without getting into trouble.however before we could do that the gardai and prof kelly arrived and we were charged.
after the case was over prof kelly went on a publicity drive,and this article was one of those that he gave to newspapers.if you want to hear a more unbiased one i'd suggest the irish times article on the same.the deal struck involved the third person,my brother who at the time was an agent for minelab detectors,which are manufactured in bandon.our three detectors were seized and four more new ones he had for clients never used in the boxes.if my father and myself pleaded guilty to possession,they said they keep the detectors and drop the charges against my brother,we agreed,i'm sorry we did now because some of the methods used by those people could have had the case thrown out if we had fought it,but for my fathers sake we agreed,we did'nt want him to have any more stress.most of the items were junk by the way,bits of nails,buttons etc.
we were made out to be criminals by the publicity afterwards,whereas in reality we were just enjoying a hobby not realising how much trouble we could get into.what we were doing would have been perfectly legal in most of the other european countries and there would have been a system in place by which we could have handed over our finds without fear of prosecution.i said i had to come on here to at least get the story straight.
kevin molloy.