Should Metal Detecting Be Legalised In Ireland Too?

Don't know.

I visited the dolmen this summer, and the "guide" who described it to us mentioned that there had been two other monuments fairly near, that had vanished when the fields were enlarged - and I think he implied that this was relatively recent.

I was deeply shocked, as a lover of neolithic archaeology. But gone is gone.

Yes, so you said.

They might not have been full dolmens, though - maybe a standing stone, or a stone circle?

Or maybe your man made up the whole story. But he certainly sounded genuine.

No you aren't. But since no one bothers enforcing the law anyway its rather a moot point.

Yeah it’s stupid . If you found something like thr Ardragh chalice you’re not going to be able to sell it on done deal or amazon anyway.

I had to google that . An interesting hobby

Lad does or did metal detecting on Dollymount beach in Dublin… I haven’t seen him since before the pandemic but he at least looks to have quite a professional looking set of detecting equipment…..

bit of a mystery as to what he expects to find, because a beach would have reasonable amounts of metal, from dropped coins, bits of drinks cans, old maritime waste from boats

True . I hadn’t thought of that . I was going on the basis that you’re a farmer on your own land.

I’d be looking for pulled steeples from rotting posts and various other steel items that were dropped and grew over by grass. So I hope to find, and remove , any pieces of metal that fell off tractors etc .I’m not looking for ancient coins or chalices . And as you say anything of historical value belongs to the state .

Rings could something of a possibility.