THE vaults of St Michan’s, Dublin, which contain the naturally preserved remains of several corpses, including an 800-year-old mummy known as “The Crusader”, and various members of society in history, has been reopened to visitors after an act of vandalism and desecration in February (News, 1 March).

The mummified head, and another skull, were stolen, and several coffins were damaged in the attack. A 36-year-old suspect, who admitted the theft at the Circuit Criminal Court, Dublin, is due to be sentenced on Wednesday after being remanded in custody. The head and skull were later recovered, and anti-intruder devices were installed, including CCTV.

The Archdeacon of Dublin, the Ven. David Pierpoint, said that local people had been supportive, and donations had been received from all over the world, which helped to fund the repairs.

Nichols Funeral Directors, in Dublin, supplied new coffins free of charge.

The vaults are now back on the city’s tourist trail, which attracts thousands each year. For Archdeacon Pierpoint, there remains only one question: “I’d love to find out what his motivation was.”