Anti–Heritage Campaigners Target New Site

national | environment | news report Thursday January 13, 2005 16:04 by PP

Anti-Heritage Campaigners, National Rogue Association, vow to extend their program of destruction to include new site at Aughrim in Co. Galway

Aughrim, Co Galway. Site of one of Ireland's largest battles, where 9000 died in 1691. NRA have announced their intent to destroy it.

Anti-heritage protestors, known as the National Rogue Association (NRA), have vowed to take their fight to a new site, it emerged yesterday. Under the slogan of “Out of our cold dead hands would our plans ever be changed” the campaigners announced a further 1300 Million Euros to add to their war-chest, while expanding their program to include a new location at Aughrim in East Galway. To date, NRA protestors have cost tax-payers 17,000 million.

Under the auspices of building roads, to date NRA has successfully targeted a number of key sites including Tara, carrickmines, and Woodstown in Waterford. “Aughrim presents us with a golden opportunity to tarmac over yet another area of historic importance. A lot of care goes into the planning of roads to ensure we maximise the destruction of these sites. Courtesy of An Bord Stampalla, the “planning system” provides us with the ideal way of baffling anybody who has an interest in raising any concerns; even when their own inspectors recommend refusal, the board insists on approving our proposals.” To date the Bord has rejected no roads.

“We have learnt from Cashel”, the NRA spokesperson said, “there we failed to drive a motorway the Rock. This meant that that road was built, almost on time and almost within budget – without destroying any heritage site. Nor did it ensure a proper row in the courts. We won’t make that mistake again.”

Separately the NRA denied that they had any involvement in the recent decapitation of the Sean Russell statue in Fairview, Dublin. Describing the act as “amateurish” the spokesperson said “that it was a botched job; if it had been us, there would be nothing of the statue left”.

Aughrim is the site of one of Ireland’s largest battles, where 9000 died in 1691 – more than died at Normandy on D-day. Described by historians as “Ireland’s Gettysburg”, the Batle of Aughrim decided the fate of the war between William III and James II.