‘Heritage Weak’ Protest Against Hotel at Trim Castle – 11.00am

national | environment | event notice Friday September 10, 2004 18:07 by paulc

Bit late notice but for the story.

A protest against proposed commencement of construction of a
four-storey hotel directly opposite Trim Castle, Ireland's largest and
most important medieval fortification, will be held at the castle in
Trim, County Meath, Saturday 11 September at 11.00am.

Organised by Trim Town Colr. Philip Cantwell and Colr. Jimmy Peppard,
the protest will call on Minister for Heritage, Martin Cullen, to
reverse his decision not to intervene in the situation. Last year he
declined to accept a recommendation from Duchas that "The scale and
bulk of the design is, in our opinion, inappropriate in this highly
sensitive location”

Not long ago, this was the location for the filming of the Braveheart
movie. Now it will be home to 'Bravehearts Disco'.

The 1.3-acre site was acquired from the Sisters of Mercy by Trim Town
Council in 1997 for £42,500 (financed by EU Structural funds) to
provide a car-park for Trim, and eleven Sisters were exhumed. However,
soon after, the council agreed to sell it to a hotel developer.

There has been a huge local groundswell of opposition to the plan,
culminating in the formation of the Save Trim Castle group last week.

Other heritage groups will also join in the campaign to highlight what
they call the Governments ‘heritage weak’ attitude. They will include
the Save Tara Skryne Valley group which is against the M3 motorway
passing through the Hill of Tara environs and the family of leading
Austrian playwright, Felix Mitterer, who are campaigning against
inappropriate development in the historic village of Castlelyons,
County Cork.

Colr. Philip Cantwell, who recently won election to Meath County
Council on a Save Trim Castle ticket, said:

“This will destroy the whole setting of Trim Castle, which all the
experts have advised against. It is ironic that work is commencing in
EU Heritage Week.”

Colr. Jimmy Peppard said:

“We now find ourselves in a situation with less, rather than more
parking in the town. The situation is chaotic.”

Contact: Philip Cantwell: (087)-288-0288

Colr. Jimmy Peppard (046) 9436165