A HIGH Court judge has concluded that the group which found three Spanish Armada wrecks at Streedagh in Donegal Bay in 1987 should receive a fair and reasonable reward for what he described as an "archaeological discovery of major historical importance".
Mr Justice Barr has also decided that the group, composed mainly of English people, should get its legal costs and expenses.
The group was represented by two company directors, Mr Alan King of Leicester Road, Narborough, and Mr Harry Chapman of Duport Road, Burbage, Hinckley, both in Leicestershire.
It had claimed the salvage rights and a finder's reward against the State and any person claiming an interest in the sailing vessels Juliana, La Lavia and Santa Marie de la Vision.
The lengthy and complex case has been before the courts for a number of years. Following an earlier decision of Mr Justice Barr in 1994, the Commissioners of Public Works appealed to the Supreme Court, which sent it back to Mr Justice Barr to deal with the questions of costs and a reward.
The Supreme Court had also decided that the Commissioners, in accordance with an undertaking given by them to the court, should consider a new application from the group for a pre excavation survey.
Mr Justice Barr said he had been told that since the 1995 Supreme Court decision the Commissioners had granted the group a licence to survey the site at Streedagh, and such work was in progress.
Mr Justice Barr said the group had been essentially successful in the litigation and justice required it should be awarded its costs in the High Court.
It was proper to take into account that as maritime archaeology was still in its early adolescence and had been significantly developed only recently, there was a dearth of judicial precedents in the common law world and on that particular issue the action proceeded in largely uncharted waters.
Mr Justice Barr said the discovery was of major historical importance, not merely for Ireland, Spain and England, but also for Europe and the world at large.