[Stones] Tara Updates

[Tim P]

-- Protesters gather at heritage site as M3 work starts

Irish Times

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Some five members of the "Solidarity Vigil" - a group which is

currently camping at Roestown, north of Dunshaughlin - staged the

protest because of the destruction of an archaeological site in the

area.

Gardaí were called to the scene but it is understood no arrests were

made.

A spokeswoman for the contractors Siac Ferrovial said the protest was

peaceful and did not impact on the construction activity.

Work began earlier this year on the ?1 billion toll-motorway link

between north of Kells and Clonee in Co Meath.

However the work immediately ran into difficulty when a new

archaeological feature was discovered at Lismullin.

The 60km road had already emerged as one of the most controversial in

the national roads programme because of its proximity to the Hill of

Tara.

The archaeological site at Roestown is at a point where the new M3

motorway crosses the existing N3 for the first time, going out from

Dublin. The site known as "Roestown 2" is already bisected by the old

main road.

Roestown 2 is one of three large enclosure complexes identified during

the geophysical survey of the Dunshaughlin to Navan stretch of the

motorway.

The other two sites identified were at Baronstown and Dowdstown.

Archaeologists determined Roestown and Dowdstown were likely to be

early medieval settlements, while Baronstown could be early medieval or

prehistoric.

The site is situated on a slight terrace adjacent to what was formerly

Redbog, north of Dunshaughlin, approximately 3km from Lagore crannog.

The main focus of the site is a large D-shaped enclosure of about 70m

by 55m with a number of internal divisions and external annexes, some

of which are likely to have been animal enclosures.

Efforts to contact the protesters yesterday were not successful but the

environmentalist Vincent Salafia said the road was always likely to run

into opposition.

Mr Salafia said a conference on the motorway at which leading academics

would discuss the project, would be held in Trinity College Dublin on

Monday next at 11am.

The conference, entitled The Hill of Tara: The Historical and Cultural

Significance, is being hosted by the Centre for Medieval and

Renaissance Studies at Trinity. Speakers include: Dr Seán Duffy FTCD,

department of medieval history; Dr Gerald Morgan FTCD, department of

law and Mr Vincent Salafia JD, department of law, TCD (Ll.M candidate)

A spokesman for the National Roads Authority said yesterday's protest

was peaceful and did not interfere with the roadway construction.

"We respect the rights of people to make a peaceful protest," he said.



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Irish Times breaking news

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0519/breaking39.htm

Last Updated: 19/05/2007 16:01



Sinn Féin said today it would seek to have the controversial section of

the M3 motorway diverted away from the Hill of Tara if in government.



Outlining the party's environmental policies, Dublin TD Aengus Ó

Snodaigh said: "The current Government's track record on protecting

Ireland's archaeological and architectural heritage is disgraceful."



Mr Ó Snodaigh said: "Under the so-called Environment Minister Dick

Roche, they have pursued a relentless, no-holds barred campaign of

destruction, as they seek to plough roads and motorways through

historic sites, allow the sale of priceless historic artefacts, which

are rightly the property of the Irish nation, and neglect and let fall

into ruin key historic buildings which should be promoted as major

tourist attractions."



He said that while Sinn Féin fully supports the upgrading of the

country's road this does not have to be done at the cost of the

wholesale destruction of the environment or precious heritage.



Environment spokesman Arthur Morgan said the party would pursue a legal

and diplomatic campaign to close the Sellafield nuclear plant in

Britain if in government.



Mr Morgan said he believes higher cancer rates in Louth are directly

linked to the nuclear reprocessing plant.



Sinn Fein had consistently said that the threat of a disaster resulting

from a fire at Sellafield was a real and immediate danger and that the

next Irish government must make it clear to the British Government that

nuclear reprocessing at Sellafield has to cease, he said.



He also said Sinn Féin would prioritise the resolution of the current

water contamination crises on an urgent basis and adequately fund an

All-Ireland Safe Water Strategy to bring all water supplies up to the

highest EU standard