Objection to plan for well linked to saint

RESIDENTS of a Co Louth village have appealed to An Bord Pleanála a decision to grant permission to a housing development, saying that a well discovered on the site two years ago could be linked to St Bridget.

The site is on the Dublin road in Dunleer, a village that has seen the price of property increase dramatically because of its proximity to the M1 motorway.

A majority of Louth county councillors decided in May to contravene the village development plan and grant permission to a company to build 26 houses and apartments on the site.

A number of appeals have been lodged expressing concerns about a souterrain, a motte and a mill which are on the site and identified in the plans submitted to the county council.

In their appeal, the residents say that a well discovered during archaeological works two years could be linked to St Bridget.

“There is a strong tradition and connection between Dunleer and St Bridget,” the residents state.

“The saint gouged her eyes out to repel the advances of a prince. Local folklore suggests that she washed her eyes out in a ‘well’ in Dunleer and recovered her sight.”

An Taisce has also appealed the decision. An Taisce’s heritage officer Ian Lumley does not agree that there had been an adequate assessment of the archaeology on the site.

The site is just over two and a half hectares but under the local area plan, it was part-zoned for residential and commercial use and part-zoned for recreation, amenity and civic use.

Councillors were told the company had agreed to transfer 1.64 hectares to the council which would be transformed into a park.

Mr Lumley submitted to An Bord Pleanála that the offer of land from the company “inappropriately influenced the council in considering a material contravention to be appropriate”.

The outcome of the appeal is not expected before the end of October.