Turoe & Tara

galway | environment | news report

Tuesday September 30, 2003 16:23

by finnachta

Plan to put new road through middle of Iron Age Celtic oppidium

Leading front page headlines on local newspapers (in East Galway) report that Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) for the necessary land will be issued by local government authorities sometime around the beginning of January 2004.

The present plan for the new N6 Galway to Dublin Upgrade Road will take it right through the middle of the Celtic "Iron Age" Oppidium centred around Turoe & Knocknadala - which is thought to be the very FIRST to date to be identified in Ireland, and possibly the largest (by far) of all the 40 or so Celtic oppida yet found outside of Ireland (in places such as England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, and Hungry).

For Ireland, the Iron Age roughly represents the period 500 B.C. to 500 A.D.

The word oppidium is believed to be of Latin origin, and it was frequently used by Julius Caesar in his writings apparently to describe the kind of towns (or cities) which many of the Celtic peoples of his time inhabited.

Knocknadala - Cnoc-na-Dala in the Celtic language - literally means Hill-of-Parliament.

One hundred or so miles to the east of Turoe & Knocknadala, there is a similar problem concerning a planned new road (called the M50) which is at present scheduled to run between the Hill of Tara, and the Hill of Skreen.

By coincidence, the words Turoe and Tara come from the same Celtic word TEMHAIR - which is understood to mean SACRED PLACE.

With regard to these two new roads, the authorities in the Republic of Ireland appear to many to be (in effect) ignoring the principles set out under the terms of the Aarhus Convention - which has received MUCH praise from people such as Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

A petition has been sent to the European Parliament regarding the present route of the planned new road through Knocknadala. The text of the petition (dated September 22nd 2003) can be seen at:
http://www.finnachta.com/EuropeanParliamentPetition.htm

Further information on the Aarhus Convention can be found at:
http://www.finnachta.com/TheAarhusConvention.htm

Additional information relating to the Turoe & Knocknadala Oppidium can be found at:
http://www.turoeandathenry.com/

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Comments (6 of 6)

Global Indymedia report on Hill of Tara and Proposed Road

by 4wolfotad

Tue Sep 30, 2003 16:06

http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=349517

hang on

by King Mob

Tue Sep 30, 2003 16:49

thats not a global IMC report thats another report by the same bloke on the global wire.

Thats like references yourself as a source to back up your own article.

btw new users to this site, will not be familiar with Mr William Finnerty, a man who will e-mail everyone from the european commision of human rights, to scotland yard (I'm serious btw) over a missing letter.

yawn snoze

mob not so smart - see times of posts -

by eeeekkk

Tue Sep 30, 2003 18:12

Tue Sep 30, 2003 20:33

actually check the authors site, and dig around.

It's only green fields now

by Durutti

Wed Oct 01, 2003 02:15

"The harp that once through Tara's Halls...."

Look, it's gone, there's nothing left but a few humps in the fields, it's not even a tourist attraction. What good is an Oppida? Might as well tarmac over the feckin thing, it's no use to anone.

check line 9 of the latin.

by ipsiphi

Wed Oct 01, 2003 14:23

oppida. oppida. oppida da da.

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Turoe & Tara

Comments (6 of 6)