Robert M Chapple, Archaeologist

Edit: since the original publication, DRD/2013-0038 now resides here . Some time ago (December 2014) I was casually surfing the internet when it suddenly occurred to me to Google the name of my favourite Fermanagh crannog. I will admit to a certain degree of trepidation in finding that one page bore the distinctly suspect title of ‘Recent Releases - February 2013’, but was reassured to discover that it emanated from the Department of Regional Development and not something more affiliated with an Onanistic teen. The document is full of fascinating questions and their official replies. For example, someone requested a copy of the DRD alternative route analysis/strategy associated with the Belfast on the Move initiative (DRD/2013-0052). Someone else was looking for details of the numbers of collisions at a junction in Lurgan over the previous six years (DRD/2013-0048). Someone even wanted details of DRD staff in legally recognised relationships (marriage or in civil part...

I’ve written before about how a simple, unattributed blog post … just 178 words long … kicked off an advocacy campaign to ensure the correct management and archaeological excavation of a crannog at Drumclay, Co. Fermanagh. I’d had reports from trusted, experienced colleagues that the site was poorly run and equipped. Worse than that, the excavation appeared to be in imminent danger of hitting its arbitrarily allotted time limit, declared ‘complete’, and whatever else remained allowed to be destroyed … all so the road could continue. Well, we weren’t going to stand for that and, a large number of archaeologists and concerned members of the public banded together to cause a fuss. We were joined by a significant number of professional organisations, including the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists , the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland , and the BAJR Federation . We set up a Facebook page , we ended up on radio and television talking about it, we eventually presente...