Cry 'Save Tara'

Cry 'Save Tara'
Letter to the Editor by Maireid Sullivan

1.
Irish Echo
Published 26 March 2008.

Time is not on Ireland's side! In the St.Pat's Day issue, the Irish Echo published an article titled "Critics of Tara Road 'misled': Dempsey", in which the visiting Irish Transport Minister Noel Dempsey's "dig" at Irish Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney revealed a lack of reverence for Irish heritage. In response to Professor Heaney's statement that the development of the M3 through the Tara Skryne Valley is a "ruthless desecration", Dempsey said, "I've never known Seamus to be an expert in the planning process."

A growing number of published reports reveal that Minister Dempsey's expertise in planning is failing the risk-management test -- through not only a general lack of planning expertise, and planning for urgent climate change compliance, but in maintaining due process of Irish law. For example, "The 'Gateway to Meath' industrial park plan has been knocked back on grounds of illegal process and pressure by lobbyists, while Meath Co. Council's approval for 745 houses to be built on the site of the Battle of the Boyne, very near Newgrange, is currently being appealed.

Minister Dempsey celebrates the fact that he was the youngest Chairman of the Meath County Council - 1986-87. He gives the impression that he is of the school of economics that puts real estate speculation on an untouchable pedestal. For example, Raymond Potterton, of Raymond Potterton & Co. auctioneers and estate agents, specialising in residential property in Meath (www.raymondpotterton.com) was appointed to the Board of the National Roads Authority (NRA) on 12th February 2002, by then Minister for the Environment Noel Dempsey. And, the current Chairman of the NRA is Peter Malone, -- also Chairman of CB Richard Ellis, Ireland, one of the largest real estate developers in the world.

In the Echo interview, Minister Dempsey repeated the now infamous pro-M3 line, "There is not a place in Co. Meath where you could stick a spade in the ground without hitting something of potential archaeological interest." However, there is an alternative shorter and cheaper route, and one that will not violate National Heritage sites, to the west of the Hill of Tara, along the disused old Navan Rail line.

In several national polls, the vast majority of Irish people have repeatedly shown that they do not want the M3 to go through the Tara Skryne Valleys. And, in support of friends and family living in Ireland, a growing number of Irish ex-pats are expressing serious concerns re. the current Irish government's apparent lack of interest in Ireland's great heritage and cultural destiny. As Dublin campaigner Anne Madden le Brocquy stated, "Should our Government persist in its planned construction, then its opportunistic insensibility will never be forgotten by the vast numbers of us who will be deprived of our inestimable heritage."

The Irish Government's FLOOD / Mahon Tribunal of Inquiry Into Certain Planning Matters and Payments, commonly known as the Mahon Tribunal in honor of its current chairman, and known previously as the Flood Tribunal, was established by the Irish Government on November 4, 1997. Page 2 of the The Flood Tribunal Report says this: "On the 31st March 1996, the Sunday Business Post published an article by a journalist, Mr. Frank Connolly, under the heading, 'Fianna Fáil Politician paid off by Developers.' The ramifications of this ongoing inquiry are still playing out, as seen in the sudden resignation of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Prime Minister of Ireland, with International headlines such as, "Irish prime minister resigns amid probes."

Since the real estate market leads the economy, I predict that when the growing recession hits harder, developers will be quick to say that development creates jobs. "Do you want jobs?" they'll ask. They will argue that, to provide those jobs, they must build housing and industrial estates along the many new superhighways, (attracting more toll paying drivers in the process). According to the Irish Ministry of Transport 2021 planning agenda, these freeways will fan out from Dublin, across Ireland, -- such as the M3 through the Hill of Tara environs. And, the Irish people, out of desperation, may well allow them to continue to desecrate their heritage, pollute their environment, and pour concrete over prime agricultural lands. A new book "Confident New Ireland", describes Ireland as "set on Americanization". But during the boom years, the country lost the link between the generation of national wealth on the one hand, and the ability to relate it to the needs of ordinary people. Part of the problem is the Government's continued focus on growth while abdicating accountability in important matters. Now the money is all gone and the social services, infrastructure, and economic stabilizers have not been put in place, and we must struggle to protect our heritage.

Yes, influential speculators and developers paid farm prices for the land along the route of the M3, long before the route was chosen. This is why the Irish government has flatly refused to take the shorter cheaper route to the West of the Hill of Tara, along the old Navan Rail line. The value of that land will already have multiplied by a huge factor because it is earmarked for development.

Time may not be on Ireland's side but those of us who truly love our heritage will do our best to prevent the ruthless desecration of our heritage!

Maireid Sullivan
Melbourne, Australia
Anam Cara for Tara arts action campaign
an initiative of the GlobalArtsCollective.org

2.
St. Patrick's Day 2008 Flyer copy

Cry 'Save Tara' for St Patrick's day
This year as always, the Irish luminaries fly around the world wearing their shamrocks on their sleeves. But beneath the jovial smiles and the chorus of 'its great day for being Irish', a harsher reality stalks the Aul Sod of Ireland.

The valley between the Hill of Tara and Hill of Skryne, an ancient landscape over 7000 years old and considered the cradle of Irish civilisation is being severed by the new M3 motorway.

The Transport Minister visiting Australia for St Patricks day has never been able to answer three simply questions. Why did he allow the Planning Bord to

1. Accept an argument proffered by the Project Archaeologist based on "Core Zone" archaeological information from Conor Newman's work which he told them at the time were merely project budget markings? Conor Newman is the world expert on Tara and director of the Discovery Bord, Ireland's expert Archaeological body's Tara Project. Both testified at the planning tribunal that the route chosen was the least desirable and disastrous for the Tara landscape.

2. Accept the Council decision not to supply the details or the information that was needed by objectors. The Planning Board agreed they had a "Customer Service" problem but that was not their concern. The law requires reasons why routes were chosen though not the details that may allow these premises to be challenged. Apparently summary matrix's that do not represent anything (I kid you not) are enough.

3. Accept the dismissal the Public consultation section after it was proved that the Councils figures were pretty much rigged and the public had in fact chosen a route outside the valley as "it was not legal requirement"

For 7 years the Battle of Tara has raged on as ordinary Irish people defend their sacred valley, one of those people, Seamus Heaney, has a noble prize for Literature.

We are asking all Irish People, their descendants and friends to show support this St Partick's day by including Save Tara in the flags, costumes, badges, banners and sashes.

3.

SAVE TARA!
Sunday, 16 March, 3pm
State Library of Victoria

This year as always, Irish luminaries fly around the world wearing their shamrocks on their sleeves. But beneath the jovial smiles and the chorus of "it's a great day for the Irish" -- a harsh reality stalks the Aul Sod of Ireland.

Why is the Irish Government allowing the valley between the Hill of Tara and Hill of Skryne, in County Meath, an ancient archaeological landscape more than 7000 years old (the cradle of Irish civilisation and the place where St. Patrick is said to have converted the Irish to Christianity, which launched the beautiful traditions of Celtic Christianity), to be destroyed by a double-tolled freeway?

As the Irish Nobel laureate, Seamus Heaney has said, this is "ruthless desecration."

The Irish Transport Minister, Noel Dempsey (the youngest Chairman of Meath County Council -1986/87), who is visiting Australia for St Patrick's Day, accompanied by both the current Chairman, and the Manager of Meath County Council, has never been able to explain why:

~ An argument by the Project Archaeologist, based on archaeological information by Tara world expert Conor Newman that the route chosen was the least desirable and disastrous for the Tara landscape.
~ The Council decision not to supply the details or the information that was needed by objectors was wrong. The Planning Board agreed it had a "customer service" problem but that was not its concern.
~ The dismissal of the public consultation section because "it was not a legal requirement" after it was proven that the Council's figures were rigged and the public chose a route outside the valley.

We are asking all Irish people, their descendants and friends to show support by becoming informed, informing others and writing letters to the Irish government. This shouldn't be a political issue. It is a question of respect for heritage. Learn more: http://www.GlobalArtsCollective.org/acf/about.htm
and http://www.savetara.com

TARA QUOTATIONS

"We have pledged ourselves to the dead generations who have preserved intact for us this glorious heritage that we, too, will strive to be faithful to the end, and pass on this tradition unblemished."
Eamon de Valera, who served in public office from 1917 to 1973, holding prime ministerial and presidential offices.

"Tara is surrounded by historical reminiscences which give it an importance worthy of being considered by everyone who approaches it for political purposes and an elevation in the public mind which no other part of Ireland possesses."
Daniel O'Connell, speaking to more than a million people converged on Tara. He is remembered as the founder of a non-violent form of Irish nationalism.

"It appears that Tara has been sold to the highest bidder, a business consortium that will stand to reap a substantial profit at our inestimable loss. To add insult to injury, each time we pass through the M3's toll-plaza barriers, we will do so in the knowledge that part of our money will be used to offset the costs of this cultural desecration. The real toll will be more than monetary; it will be at the expense of our self-respect as a people and dignity as a nation."
Joe Fenwick,
Department of Archaeology,
National University of Ireland, Galway

For further information, please email Maireid Sullivan, via website: www.GlobalArtsCollective.org