Two containers filled with naval artefacts from Argentina arrived in Foxford, Co Mayo, at the weekend after having been tied up in the Dublin docks since 1998.
The artefacts, including anchors, cannon, guns, torpedoes and mines remained in Dublin because of unpaid consignment charges on the cargo.
Five years ago the Argentine navy donated a large number of significant artefacts to Foxford in honour of the founder of the Argentine navy, Admiral William Brown, a Foxford native.
However, the local Admiral Brown Society in Foxford required £3,000 to have the containers released but could not come up with the funding.
Members had hoped to incorporate the artefacts into a proposed memorial park to the late admiral to be established along the banks of the Moy river in the town centre.
The charges on the unclaimed cargo had risen to approximately €17,000 by the beginning of this year and, despite attempts to secure grant aid from the Government to release the containers, all efforts had failed.
After a renewed effort over the past month, Mayo County Council agreed to have the containers taken out of storage. It was eventually agreed the containers would be released for a fee of €2,500 and the county council paid the charge.
The chairman of the Admiral Brown Society in Foxford, Mr J.J. O'Hara said it was wonderful to have the containers in town.
"We are finally over our embarrassment. Having been given a gift from the Argentine navy we felt very embarrassed that it remained tied up at Dublin port for five years."
The anchor from one of the admiral's battleships is to be erected in the square in Foxford by the county council. Work on that development will get under way immediately. It is estimated that the cost of the Admiral Brown Memorial Park will be in the region of €100,000.
"We have still to secure the funding. But the site for the development has been secured and now we have our artefacts that will be incorporated into the park, so we are well on our way," Mr O'Hara said.