Tara Awareness March
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news report 
Monday November 06, 2006 17:37
by Muireann Ni Bhrolchain - Save Tara
Held Navan, Co Meath November 4 2006
The March began at the old railway station in Navan town at Railway Street to draw attention to the fact that this alternative mode of transport has not been seriously considered by the planners. A large crowd gathered, long time campaigners, new campaigners, families with small children who had their faces painted, sported Save Tara stickers and carried balloons.
Mickey Mouse and Shrek added to the carnival atmosphere as the March wove its way through the streets of Navan to the car park at the Shopping Centre. The streets were filled with Saturday shoppers and curious onlookers who willingly took leaflets and contributed to the Save the TaraSkryne Valley Group who were collecting for their future activities on the day. There were reporters from various newspapers, video cameras and many photographers present to record the occasion.
Members of the Solidarity Vigil on Tara carried the flame that has been kept alight since before the Summer Solstice and one of the keepers addressed the crowd.
Ciarán Cuffe the Environment Spokesperson for the Green Party began the speeches and he spoke with great passion and conviction. He said that Tara had been a ‘holy place and a sacred space’ for thousands of years and that ‘Before Christ was born, Tara was sacred. In the 19th century, Tara was sacred, and in the 21st century we have to keep Tara as a sacred place.’ He said it would be ‘an act of sacrilege’ to drive a motorway through the Tara shrine valley. ‘It would be the most disrespectful act to our history, to our heritage and to future generations’. He re-iterated very strongly his Party’s support for the campaign that has been the case for the last number of years.
Among the others who spoke were Martin Hogan, an independent candidate for the upcoming Senate elections, Percy Jordan and Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin who said that the March was also supported by the Labour Party and that both Eamon Gilmore and M.D. Higgins has sent messages to the organisers. She asked that people boycott those politicians who were responsible for this decision and singled out Minister Noel Dempsey who had been Minister for the Environment when the decision was taken.
M.D. Higgins gave his full support to the March and said: ‘I believe that this is an appalling decision which will affect not only this generation, but generations to come. There needs to be a change made in legislation to stop decisions being made which will have such an influence on future generations of Irish people. This has important implications not only for the people of Meath, but for people throughout Ireland’.
The Labour Party Environment spokesman, Eamon Gilmore said: ‘The Labour Party opposes the construction of a motorway through the Tara/Skryne Valley. In the Dáil, we have proposed that the contract for the M3 be split, to allow for the re-routing of the road, to avoid Tara. We believe that the transport needs of the people of Meath and beyond can and should be met, without irreparable damage to the country's heritage’.
Other present included Brian Flanagan and local members of the Green Party and people representing many of those groups who are working for Tara. Percy Jordan thanked Rosaleen Allen and Heather Buchanan who had organised the March and congratulated them on all their hard work and energy that they had given for the past number of months. The accompanying photographs tell more than a thousand words.
Comments (10 of 10)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10More photographs of the occasion.
The vigil light
Green Party support
The crowd
A better view of things!
Marching through Navan
The Vigilers came.
The Local group came.
Members of all the awareness groups were there.
The railway group came.
It was nice to see the kids out and I liked the platform-hope to see more photos.
Thanks Heather, Rosaleen and Muireann and everyone who spoke.
Again the messages of Solidarity for the people of Erris/Rossport were great to hear,
given that Tara and Rossport share the same problem- Noel Dempsey (and his running mate).
The march in progress
The traffic stops
Filling the streets of Navan
Crowds marching
Children enjoying themselves
Heather and Rosaleen leading the March
The final round up and the speeches featuring March organiser Rosaleen Allen, Percy Jordan, Ciaran Cuffe and Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin.
Banners and balloons
Rosaleen Allen and Percy Jordan
Ciaran Cuffe addresses the crowd
Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin speaks to the crowd
Ciaran again
Not a bad turnout for Navan - I went I have to say. I wasn't too impressed with some of the speeches - a bit too 'get Dempsey' for me but not bad at all. At least it was local, political and didn't have too many outsiders. The local reaction was interesting to say the least. More of this local, Meath involvement. This march should have happened 3 years ago and there might be more support now. Some notable absences were noted ... and appreciated.
The environment arguement is lost, more on the rail etc. as was the case but for god's sake lose the poster and the silly van with the bales of hay. 21st century for goodness sake not hicksville. A bit more slick the next time? This does not go down well - people showing us to be - well what was the message?
Build the f&&&ing road.
The M3 won't be built. Instead the Meath Multiway will be brought into operation. This will cost less than 2/3rd's the cost of the M3 and will take lots of traffic off the N3 meaning Navan residents like yourself will be much less stressed out during your morning commutes. Think of what you'll be able to do with all the hundreds of millions saved, better hospitals, schools... Transport problems of Meath solved, our heritage protected. Tara will become a world heritage site and even more tourists than now will flock to Meath to spend their holiday money there. You should think of starting a B&B cause it'll be very profitable. Want to know more sir? No problem!
http://www.savetaravalley.com/meath_multiway.php
Tara protest march attracts 150
John Donohoe
SPEAKER after speaker at the Save Tara Skryne Valley protest march in Navan on Saturday paid tribute to the huge crowd for turning out and supporting them.
They obviously weren’t in the same town a few weeks ago when the march to save Navan’s Fair Green took place. Well over 1,000 marched through Navan for that rally. Around 150 took part in Saturday’s Save Tara demonstration.
Among the participants were Disney characters Mickey Mouse and Shrek, in addition to local public representatives Colr Andy Brennan and Colr Phil Cantwell, Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe and Tara campaigner Muireann Ni Bhrolochain.
The parade was due to begin at 2pm at the Navan Railway Station yard on Railway Street, a site chosen to draw attention to the lack of a passenger rail line to Dublin. Across the road, patrons of Fulham’s public house were mounting their own counter-demonstration. On a placard, they had written slogans in support of the motorway.
“We want the road. We need jobs. We don’t want traffic jams,” they shouted over at the protestors, who were busy blowing up green and gold balloons, and face-painting. Ciaran Cuffe, Green TD, wasn’t sure which side of the street to stand on, but eventually entered the station yard.
Continued at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savetara/message/1074
'Tara and the rebellion of 1641'
- Dr. Tadhg Ó hAnnracháin, School of History and Archives, UCD
Tara of the Kings lecture series
12.00pm every Saturday (except Nov 18)
Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland
Helen Roe Lecture Theatre
63 Merrion Square
- Admission Free
Howyas,
This is a serious post! I think we should re-form the Irish Citizen Army. We need to have a strong organisiation that will represent the Irish people. The government and it's pals are dictating what happens to our country, heritage, citizens etc and they don't really care what the affects of their decisions are. Rossport, Tara, Shannon Airport etc are examples of the government doing stuff on a whim that may not be in the best interests of Ireland and it's people. We need a , strong, united, apolitical pressure group to stand up for the people of Ireland.
Personally I think the Irish Citizen Army would be a good name for such an organisation as the original orginisation was made up of trade union members who were standing up for the small people, the workers. The ICA encompasses all Irish citizens and it is not devoted to any one struggle, of which there are many and there will be many more in the future. The ICA would lend it's support to such struggles.
I am not politcally motivated. I have just become more and more frustrated with the governments lack of consideration for our wonderful country and her people.
I would love to setup such an organisation but don't know where to start. I'm sure it's possible if we got the right people talking to each other, people with experience in this area.
What I say may come across as complete nonsense but thats how I feel.
All the best!!
P.S. I was at the march and was dissapointed by the turn out. I honestly thought more people cared.......maybe they (the public) did not know about the march? The only reason I knew about it was that I keep and eye on the campaign.
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