Protecting our heritage

A farmer was fined €25,000 in a Tralee court yesterday for destroying a 1,000-year-old ring fort on his land.

The structure was the subject of a long-standing protection order.

John O’Mahony, of Causeway, Co Kerry, was fined that sum because the judge took into consideration a second charge of the destruction of a souterrain.

The farmer’s taxable income was under €5,000 last year so the penalty represents a heavy blow. O’Mahony bought the land in Dec 2007 for €100,000 and two months later the fort was destroyed.

This is not the first or, sadly, the last farmer to destroy part of the nation’s heritage. Property developers, road builders and other individuals may be accused of the same crime and, if convicted, must face penalties that will dissuade others from similar acts of vandalism.

Of course the whole process, and legislation protecting our heritage, will be rendered meaningless if the fine is not collected.