NRA vs. IRL Debate - Hill of Tara / M3 toll road

meath | eu | press release Friday March 12, 2004 17:52 by Vincent Salafia - Save Tara Skryne Valley Group salafiam at tcd dot ie 087-132-3365

Come on down to the Tara Symposium this Saturday at Dalgan Park Co Meath

‘Experts Press Conference to Call for EU Minister for Heritage and All Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group after Debate with NRA Archaeologists at Hill of Tara / M3 toll road Symposium Saturday’

"The curs will never take Tara"

A debate on the Hill of Tara / M3 toll road and will hear experts calling for an EU Minister for Heritage, as well as an all-party parliamentary archaeology group in Ireland. Experts will also be re-iterating their call to prevent the excavation of this important valley.

International academics will be debating the excavations planned for the M3 toll road - expected to cost more than €20 million - with Mary Deevy – NRA Project Archaeologist for the Meath County Council N2 and N3 projects this Saturday at the Colomban College, Dalgan Park, County Meath from 2:00 – 5:00 pm.

An all-party parliamentary archaeology group in Ireland is critical now according to experts across the board. It is necessary in light of recent conflicts over excavations. An expert panel of archaeologists, historians, planners and conservationists would offer submissions. The group would then monitor pending changes to legislation such as upcoming National Monuments and Critical Infrastructure Bills as well as codes of practice. Please see a model: http://www.sal.org.uk/appag/

Save Tara Skryne Valley Group has been gathering momentum locally in the last weeks – with John Bruton TD for Meath adding his support.

President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians National Board, Ned McGinley, in the United States, is outraged and has written to the Taoiseach condemning the M3 plan which will destroy “the cradle of Irish civilization”.

Ms Julitta Clancy of Meath Archaeological and Historical society said:

“There is an urgent need for an independent agency to monitor to monitor the current crisis in archaeology.”

“Heritage – especially The Hill of Tara - belongs to us all, and should not be a ‘political football’”.

Mr Vincent Salafia – of Carrickminders - PRO for Save Tara Skryne Valley Group said:

“We don’t want another Carrickmines. Doesn't UNESCO taking an interest in this tell the Government something? I am very afraid of what might happen if this goes ahead"

Dr. Muireann ni Bhrolchain – Celtic scholar at NUI Maynooth said:

“Does Bertie want to remembered as the Butcher of the Boyne?”

ENDS

PROGRAMME:

Everyone is invited to a morning tour of the Hill of Tara. Please meet outside Tara church at 11.30am. Bring packed lunch or purchase locally.

There will be a special lunch for the media - with the speakers - in Dalgan Park from 12.45-1.45.

The Symposium will on the impact that the proposed M3 will have on the Tara Skryne Valley.

The talks will take place from 2.00 pm. – 5.30 p.m. and those in attendance are invited to visit the Hill of Tara in the morning between 11.30 and 12.30 where there will be guides to explain where the road will be and its visual impact on the area. Admission is €10 with a €5 concession for students with a student card.


This event is intended as an information opportunity for the general public and for specialists alike and to this end there are three different sessions with a coffee break at 4.00 p.m.

The speakers in the first session, between 2.00 and 2.45 p.m., will be Professor Alfred Smyth who is now Dean of Humanities in the University of Canterbury but originally a native of Tara. The second speaker will be Dr Edel Bhreathnach who worked on Tara as part of the Discovery Programme, a government sponsored programme to explore Tara from the archaeological, historical and literary points of view. Both speakers are experts in their field and will explain the historical and cultural importance of the Tara/Skryne area. Dr Bhreathnach is currently doing research in the Ó Cléirigh Institute of Irish History, National University of Ireland, Dublin.

The second session will feature the two archaeologists who also worked on the Discovery Programme and who now work in University College, Galway – Dr Conor Newman who made a submission at the Oral Hearing and his colleague Dr Joe Fenwick. The session will also include Mary Deevy who is the Meath County Council project archaeologist.

These will be the pivotal talks as they will include a presentation by Dr Fenwick of the geophysical surveys and the evidence for the sites on the proposed route.

The Plenary session will be an open forum where the public may ask questions of the various speakers. It is expected that there will a large number of other academics present with an interest in archaeology, history and literature.

The sessions will be chaired by Dr Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin, National University of Ireland, Maynooth,
Note: For those wishing to take part in the visit to the Hill of Tara please meet outside Tara church at 11.30am. Bring packed lunch or purchase locally.

ENDS


CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

11.30am-12.30

Optional pre-seminar visit to Hill of Tara - with tour by Dr Afred Smyth - Canterbury University



2.00pm Introductions and welcome

2.05 - 2.45pm: Session I: Historical and cultural perspectives

Chaired by Dr Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin (NUI, Maynooth)

Speakers:
- Prof. Alfred Smyth (Dean of Humanities, Canterbury Univ)
- Dr. Edel Bhreathnach (Ó Cléirigh Institute for Irish History, UCD)

2.50 - 4.00pm Session II: Archaeological perspectives.

Speakers:
- Dr. Conor Newman, (Dept. of Archaeology, NUI, Galway)
- Mary Deevy (Meath Co. Council Project Archaeologist)
- Joe Fenwick (Dept. of Archaeology, NUI Galway)

4.00-4.15pm Tea/Coffee break

4.15-5.30pm Session III: Plenary discussion. Chaired by Prof. Vincent Comerford (Dept. of History, NUI Maynooth)

Entrance charge 10.00 euro. Students and Senior Citizens: 5.00

BOOKING (advisable):

Mrs. Ann O'Reilly, Hon. Treasurer, M.A.H.S., Rathfeigh, Tara, Co. Meath
(tel. 041-9825135).


LINKS:

Save Tara Skryne Valley - Home Page http://www.taraskryne.org

Save Tara Skryne Valley - Discussion Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taraskreen/

Environmental Impact Statement EIS - http://www.meath.ie/Roads/M3_EIS/volume2/introduction.htm

Maps: http://www.taraskryne.org/mapindex.html

Discovery Programme: http://www.discoveryprogramme.ie/Research_Area/Content/TAR_SUR/TAR_SUR.htm

ICOMOS Heritage at Risk! Report: http://www.international.icomos.org/risk/2002/index.html

PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION AT http://www.taraskyne.org