Types of monument designation
Under the National Monuments Acts, any monument or site can be designated in four ways:
- It is included in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP);
- It is included in the Register of Historic Monuments (RHM);
- It is a national monument in the ownership or guardianship of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage or of a Local Authority;
- It is a national monument subject to a preservation order (or temporary preservation order).
Different levels of protection apply to a monument depending on which of the four categories it falls under; a monument may be included in one or more categories.
How to find monuments and their designation
The Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) is the basic listing of all known or suspected monuments in Ireland. If a monument is listed in the SMR, then it can be checked against the four categories outlined above to determine which protections may apply.
The SMR listing is updated regularly and is the starting point for any investigation into the protections applied to a particular monument.
The SMR is available online within the Historic Environment Viewer and can be bulk downloaded from our Open Data page.
If a monument is listed in the SMR then it can be checked against the four categories listed above to determine which protections may apply.
Record of Monuments and Places (RMP)
The Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) is a list of recorded monuments and places for each county. Each list also has an accompanying map, indicating the location of the monuments or places within the county.
The RMP is available in county libraries and main local authority offices. An online copy (in PDF format) is also available for each county.
All monuments listed in the RMP are protected under the National Monuments Acts and any activities that could damage the monument are regulated using Section 12 Notification. Any archaeological excavations at or in the vicinity of an RMP monument require an Excavation Licence issued by the minister.
Register of Historic Monuments (RHM)
The Register of Historic Monuments (RHM) is a list of registered historic monuments maintained by the National Monuments Service. It should be noted that this RHM list may not be exhaustive, and if you have any doubt as to the status of a particular monument, you should contact the NMS. All monuments listed in the RHM are protected under the National Monuments Acts, and any activities that could damage a monument are regulated using Section 12 Notification.
National Monuments
The term ‘national monument’ means any monument considered to be of national importance because of the historical, architectural, traditional, artistic or archaeological interest associated with it.
National monuments currently include any monument in the following categories:
- Monuments in the ownership or guardianship of the minister;
- Monuments in the ownership or guardianship of the local authorities;
- Monuments subject to a preservation order or temporary preservation order.
To determine if a monument is a national monument, then the available resources should be consulted. At the NMS we maintain lists of national monuments in the Minister’s ownership or guardianship and a list of national monuments subject to Preservation Orders. Any works at or in the vicinity of a national monument require the consent of the minister.
These lists may not be exhaustive, and if you have any doubt as to the status of a particular monument, you should contact us. For a list of national monuments in the ownership of individual local authorities, please contact the relevant local authority.
Underwater cultural heritage
Underwater cultural heritage is protected in the inland (including inland waterways, lakes, etc. and coastal inlets and bays) and coastal (out to 24 nautical miles, to the outer limit of what is known as the Contiguous Zone) waters of Ireland.
Wrecks over 100 years old and underwater archaeological objects irrespective of age are protected automatically. Protected wrecks can be searched on the Wreck Viewer.
The minister may also issue Underwater Heritage Orders if a wreck, area or object is considered to be of sufficient historical, archaeological or artistic importance to merit such protection. Please see the list of Underwater Heritage Orders currently in force.
Archaeological excavation and/or the use of detection devices such as metal detectors to search for archaeological objects on underwater archaeological sites, including protected wrecks, is regulated in a similar way to monuments on land. The appropriate Excavation Licence or Detection Device Consent must be obtained.
In addition, if individuals, dive clubs or dive centres wish to dive a protected wreck, a dive licence is required. The appropriate Excavation Licence or Detection Device Consent must be obtained. Further information on underwater cultural heritage is available here.
Protection of monuments and underwater cultural heritage
Failure to adhere to the requirements of the National Monuments Acts is an offence. Offences under the Acts include:
- failure to submit Section 12 notification prior to undertaking works at or near an RMP site;
- defacement or damage to a designated monument;
- digging or excavating anywhere within the state for the purpose of uncovering archaeological features or objects, in the absence of a permission issued by the minister;
- possession of a detection device at a designated monument or site;
- using a detection device to search for archaeological objects anywhere within the state or its territorial seas, without the prior written consent of the minister.
Any questions?
If you have any questions regarding the status of any monument, please contact NMS and we will try to assist you.
Where can I see the relevant legislation?
National Monuments Act 1930–2014