By Diarmuid Sherry
A Mullingar historian has supported calls from Westmeath Councillors for the British Museum in London to return artefacts discovered in Westmeath. The British Museum currently possesses over 100 artefacts that were found in Westmeath in the 19th and 20th centuries. Responding to a letter from Westmeath County Council, the British Museum indicated that just 17 archaeological artefacts from Westmeath had been identified and that the museum would like to gain a better understanding of “the scope of the request” from the council.
Independent councillor, Paul Hogan described the response as “a slap in the face” and “very disrespectful.” He said the vast majority of the items were “in storage and not on display.”
