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Squeek has left the tunnel

category national | environment | news report author Sunday March 16, 2008 00:02author by eeekkk Report this post to the editors

Have heard from two reliable sources that Squeek has left the tunnel at Rath Lugh. She left with Gardai and some of her family present. The Gardai have taken her away from the site as far as I am aware.

Here's hoping for 100 to take her place. Tara is THE symbol of dead-end corruption and anti-democratic government in Ireland. The dictatorship of the developers. Pitting people against each other.

Well done Squeek. Takes a lot of nerve.

.

author by A Friend of Tarapublication date Sun Mar 23, 2008 01:13author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well done to all people involved

author by TaraTaraTarapublication date Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:08author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Jake,

Do not presume that all Direct Action feel the same as the above. Perhaps he/she is stressed out or burnt out . We are very grateful to everyone who gave up any part of their lives to stand shoulder to shoulder with us on the Front Line, whether it was a day , a week , a month or more. It is a very big call to answer. It is regrettable that you feel slighted but I am sure that is not a personal matter, rather lack of thought or even more likely, phone credit!

By the way, I find that the people who shout the loudest about Ego are the very ones who are motivated by it entirely.

Thank you to all who do the very important job of standing at stalls raising funds, thank you to all who go on Marches, thank you to all who work behind their desks in whatever capacity , thank you to all who visit with good cheer and encouragement, thank you to all the people across the globe who send messages of support, and thank you to all who work silently behind the scenes for Tara. We all stand together.

Teamhair Abu!

author by No time for thankspublication date Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:52author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Vigil Camp has been on the hill since June 2006,Rath Laugh Camp was established shortly after.
If not for the direct action which initiated with the blockading of the machinery at the compound back in may 2007 this road would have been complete in it`s distruction.All of those present then are still active.

So you came over to Rath Laugh last summer,have a nice holiday my fairweather friend?

Maybe now winters over you could stand around a stall maybe even collect a few donations like some other ego warriors.

And dont hold you breath waiting for thanks from the people on the ground,they are busy not ungrateful.

author by jake - ukpublication date Fri Mar 21, 2008 00:51author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well i have been helping to save this place for a long time,last summer i was over in Rath Lugh ,gave them food,drink .supplies etc,spent all my time at the camp. I even paid out on bail for one of them.drove them around the Valley.Have i had thanks ,no
Came back to the UK to spread the word ,left messages on various TARA phones ,got no reply,
they want help now ,well not from me.

jake

author by Mimipublication date Fri Mar 21, 2008 00:02author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Can the 10 point agreement that Squeek made with the NRA be made public in its entirity? It's about time that their deceit be put out there for what it is

author by Joanne Corbettpublication date Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:42author address author phone Report this post to the editors

There are men through the woods, in forensic type suits, look like police, going through peoples benders/tents.

HELP

THEY NEED HELP IN RATH LUGH NOW!

author by Joanne Corbettpublication date Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors

There are now 3 riot vans onsite

Action has kicked off, as I just got a message that the fence has been pushed in/over by Protesters and it's all about to happen.

Can u help by videoing, taking photos..............or anything else that you could do ?

author by Joanne Corbettpublication date Thu Mar 20, 2008 09:06author address author phone Report this post to the editors

News just in from Squeek by text.
Theres a Dozer ploughing into the esker, far outside the 10m mark as set in the NRA/Squeek signed agreement.

HELP required as numbers are low.

Help to digger dive
Help to video/camera for witness
Help to man the camp/security of the camp

author by Jimmypublication date Wed Mar 19, 2008 20:20author address author phone Report this post to the editors



Apparently something like 80% of the people of the area are in favour of the motorway. And just because some uppity outsider middle-class wannabe hippies band together to try stop it they have some sort of democratic mandate? Get real people.

I hope that with all the TV cameras down there, the department of social affairs should look through all the video evidence and stop the protestors dole. Obviously not all of them would be on it but if it's not Daddy's trust fund that's sustaining them for long periods of "protest" then they must be getting the few quid somewhere else.

That young girl was allowed to go down a fairly dangerous hole by wiser and more senior people. She was used. How many civil engineers are down there among the protestors who could refute the claims of the NRA that this esker would be safe. I wouldn't trust a psychology graduate to survey a house for me. Why should I trust her judgement on the engineering of a major road project? She was an impressionable young woman and was used by other people for their own agendas. Sin é.

author by Joanne Corbettpublication date Wed Mar 19, 2008 17:02author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Digger Diving again today!!!
Anyone up for a bit of fun, you're welcome to come join in ..................

Related Link: http://www.tarapixie.net
author by Muireann Ni Bhrolchainpublication date Wed Mar 19, 2008 15:02author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Received today from Kathy Sinnott:
Dear Friends,
It appears as the Commission talks about a block of the construction, it
is misinformed of what is really happening.
However any infringement will still be welcome.
Best Regards and a Happy Easter to all,
Laura

///////////////////////////////////////////
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0845/08
by Kathy Sinnott (IND/DEM)
to the Commission

Subject: Calling formally on the Commission to act
In the ongoing situation in the Tara-Skryne Valley in Co Meath, Ireland,
the Commission is aware that Ireland has breached its environmental law,
the 2004 National Monuments Act. Due to a lack of action on the part of
the Irish Government, citizens have turned to the European Union for
assistance.
Is the Commission aware that it itself has funded €2.9million towards
the planning and design of the M3 Motorway, which has breached various
laws and held flawed archaeological examinations? In light of this, the
Commission should hasten its action on the matter and address the call
for an injunction.
How will the Commission respond to a formal call to act on the situation?
///////////////////////////////////////////////
E-0845/08EN
Answer given by Mrs Hübner
on behalf of the Commission
(18.3.2008)

The Commission is fully aware of the prevailing situation in relation to
the proposed construction of the M3 motorway through the Tara-Skryne
valley. The Commission further notes that construction of the proposed
route is blocked.

Issues arising from the proposed construction are currently the subject
of an infringement procedure being dealt with by the Directorate-General
responsible for Environment. The infringement procedure concerns
possible non-compliance by the Irish authorities with the Environmental
Impact Assessment Directive as it applies to the discovery of sites of
archaeological importance at a late stage in the construction
authorisation process. Because of unresolved differences of legal
opinion concerning the degree of compliance of national legislation with
the requirements of European law, the Commission has decided to launch
proceedings in the European Court of Justice.

The Commission acknowledges that ERDF (European Regional Development
Fund) funding was granted for the design and planning of the proposed
section of the motorway. There is nothing to suggest, however,that the
expenditure concerned has been improperly incurred in terms of Article
12 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 .

Footnotes: Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the
assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment, OJ L 175, 5.7.1985. Amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC
of 3 March 1997, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general
provisions on the Structural Funds, OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.
/////////////////////////////////////
And Gormley is still insisting that the M3 will not damage Rath Lugh.

Environment Minister John Gormley has insisted that the M3 motorway in Co Meath poses no threat to the Rath Lugh monument near the Hill of Tara.
Last week, a woman chained herself inside an underground tunnel in an effort to block the construction work, which protestors say will undermine the esker that Rath Lugh sits on top of.
They say the work contravenes a protection order on the national monument, but Mr Gormley insisted today that he could "absolutely guarantee" that Rath Lugh will not be damaged.
http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/p....html

author by be impossiblepublication date Wed Mar 19, 2008 01:33author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Noticed that the activists up there on some list or other have been requesting printouts of indymedia threads. How about we try to get them sorted with internet access ongoing. Those 02 mobile broadband modems/accounts cost 40 E per month for about 5 gig download and some upload. Doable in 2008? I'm sure people involved in support are reading - ask supporters for this - walk into a shop and get a contract and give them the little white modem. I am 100 per cent sure they'd use and appreciate it

author by Skepticpublication date Wed Mar 19, 2008 00:08author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Surely for any agreement to be worth the paper it's written on, there would have to be lawyers involved? I don't know, but anyone can sign an agreement and it not mean a thing. One should know better than to take the NRA at their word

author by local cam - independent thinkerpublication date Tue Mar 18, 2008 22:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors

at Rathlugh today

men were digging at the esker long before I arrived at 3pm.....there seemed to be quite alot of extra security holding the fence line.....then came the digger....the protesters got settled in and soon the gardaí were onsite....after quite a lengthy discussion with protesters and a couple of phonecalls the garda instructed them to remove the digger from the esker....the driver just got in and made no attempt to move it.....when asked (by a protester and then by the law) he smiled and said he had no key...."anybody got a key for this digger?".....nope, no one....not a sinner

more gardaí arrived then

love to know how it turned out....I couldn't stay

one.jpg

two.jpg

three.jpg

four.jpg

five.jpg

author by Joanne Corbettpublication date Tue Mar 18, 2008 17:35author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Despite an agreement made between Squeak and the NRA on Saturday, whereby the NRA would cease all activity in the Rath Lugh area (80m one direction, 40m the other) save for a corridor for traffic access past Rath Lugh (10m from the Gabhra stream, furthest point from esker) the NRA have proven their honour again.

Construction work to erect steel fencing further into the woods in Rath Lugh is being attempted, and being fought by the Direct Action team. The workers are trying to cement the fence in place. There is currently a digger on the esker and police are present. The guys/girls are in the holes and hand removing any cement that has been poured before it sets.

Squeak is about to go on live radio show and show the NRA for what they are. Her understanding was that absolutely NO activity would be allowed in the Rath Lugh area for 1 month, to allow time for the court case to be heard. Her understanding was that work is work, whether mechanical, manual or ancillary. Anything funded in any way by the NRA is encompassed into the agreement.......she is naturally fuming....

The NRA have shown their true colours in broad daylight!!!!!!!

author by acc turncoat archaeologist - rath lugh ressistance camppublication date Tue Mar 18, 2008 17:31author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well done Tank Girl!
You give the people good example that we should be unite and shout as one:
ROMANS GO HOME!!!

Related Link: http://www.tarapixie.net
author by Rob Hendersonpublication date Tue Mar 18, 2008 12:39author address author phone Report this post to the editors

The protest was a success.

The timeframe is not relevant.

After four days the protectors of the Rath Lugh National Monument reached an agreement with those involved in the construction of the M3. That agreement was that work on the site in question would be suspeded for a period of one month at least.

Any person stating that they are prepared to follow a particular course of action for a specified timeframe does NOT mean that said timeframe is compulsory. As the situation changes so do the conditions. To remain in the tunnel for a period beyond the lifespan of the issue would have been ill advised in itself. Once an agreement has been reached then the argument has advanced and boudaries of definition and communication can be redefined. Blockading machinery at a particular site is pointless if the machinery is no longer there.

That said, this is by no means the end of the protest. simply the end of one valiant form of passive resistance. What those involved have achieved is outlined in comments above. Awareness has been raised, the issue tackled - if all too briefly - in the national media and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the work there has ceased, for now. As a direct RESULT of the actions taken by Ms Feeny and her supporters, political representatives of those in favour of the M3 have stated publicly that the Rath Lugh National Monument will be respected IN ITS ENTIRETY.

Ms Feeny has NOT failed here. The Direct Action Camp at Rath Lugh have succeeded in protecting a National Monument which was facing destruction.

The fact that it took 4 days and not two months is not an issue, at least not beyond the analysis that this paricular action did not take very long, you may now thank the Deity of your choice. The construction workers have repeatedy made attempts to remove vital sections of this Monument, endangering the stability of the whole site, AND there is PLENTY of actual evidence of these attempts. This protest has been going on a long time. Only after Ms Feeny occupied the tunnel system, and public attention was focus on the area, did Ferrovial/Siac and An Garda Siochána accept the illegality of their actions. I, for one, am certainly not dissatisfied , in any way, that this understanding was ACHIEVED after only 4 days.

This action was a success . . . for now. However, the people involved in building the M3 have not obeyed the law in the past and no assumptions should be made.

There is also the wider issue of the remaining Gabhra Valley and the Hill of Tara.

If you are against the continued construction of the M3, then please go and see what they are doing.
What they have done yesterday and what they ARE doing today. Passive Resistance and Blockade is working, but more support is needed . . . There's always more to do. The larger site is huge.

Related Link: http://tarapixie.net
author by Michael Twomeypublication date Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:55author address author phone Report this post to the editors

All the appaluse being poured on Miss Feeney is a bit over the top I think. The personal citicism being levelled at people is totally out of order but I do think the activist at Tara have to take responsibility for the enormous error they have made.

Miss Feeney in going into the tunnel with big statements of I'll do what it takes, i'll be there for 60 days etc. made the entire protest seem frivilous when she left 4 days later. I accept enormous pressure was put on her, but what did she expect. She was in a tunnel that was holding up a road project worth millions to developers and probably Dodgy politicians. Did Tara activists not prepare for the this using her family would be the obvious tactic if they were not supportive. The bluff has been called-she broke- they won.

author by EHpublication date Tue Mar 18, 2008 07:21author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"WE HAVE told you briefly the story of the manuscripts, for from these manuscripts come the stories of Tara. Some must have been recited in that very banqueting hall we can trace to-day. They have been told and re-told through the centuries in the duns and raths and houses and cottages of the people of Ireland. Myths and Legends and historical Sagas are intermingled and it is profitless for any but the specialist to ask how much is truth and how much legend: the interest for us lies in the fact that these tales reflect a civilization and an outlook of which we are the ultimate heirs. Much, indeed, is true enough."

"Bidden by no ten commandments, knowing neither hope of Heaven nor fear of Hell, life was a vital present to them; death a nothing at all; ... "

From 'The Legend of Tara' Elizabeth Hickey / Dundalgan Press, Ltd. 1996

Related Link: http://www.festivaloftara.org/tarahistory/TaraTextPage2.html
author by not givenpublication date Mon Mar 17, 2008 15:11author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Thank you "Positive Support" for that well written and informative piece!
hopefully, i'll get up that end of the country this week.

author by Positive Supportpublication date Mon Mar 17, 2008 13:13author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I do agree that some form of conclusion by way of an article posting should be issued.

To my mind, having been on the ground recently, this protest was a resounding success.

Time and time again the Ferrocial/Siac Alliance proudly insisted, with Gardai support, that it was their intent to take the esker and the woodland right back to the crest of the Monument itself. To this end they engaged in intimidation of those guarding the protected land and made many attempts to bulldoze at will whatever they deemed fitting. The protest consistently held them at bay and protected the Monument in its entirety, including the esker. The overall attitude towards this project is to disregard protection orders, laws and public opinion. A certain amount of resulting court cases, fines or expensive delays due to protest have been budgeted for.

What Leesa and those camped at the Tara/Skryne complex have achieved here is to raise awareness about this issue, as there has been silence, but, MORE IMPORTANTLY; those involved in constructing the M3, and political representatives have now been forced to clearly state, in the public media, that the National Monument of Rath Lugh, including the exclusion zone and the esker will not be damaged by the construction works. This IS a significant Achievement. It is by no means the end of any protest and resolve must now be increased. Construction of the M3 can, and will, be halted, but the campaign needs more ground support, more public attention and more positive willing people like all those involved in the construction and occupation of the tunnel system at Rath Lugh.

TARA NEEDS DIGGER DIVERS . . .

086 1537146

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN . . . GO! IF YOU HAVE . . . GO BACK!

Related Link: http://tarapixie.net
author by not givenpublication date Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:53author address author phone Report this post to the editors

m3nme wrote
==========
"Not given"
I dont find your post masks condescencion at all.
==============

Well phrased reply amigo! I wasn't masking my feelings in the least, but I was aiming for more of 'scolding' than condescencion : )

If I was being condescending, I would use the stock phrase that " we can admire squeak for her youthful energy and misplaced idealism. "
However, I do not consider her idealism misplaced at all. I do not want an M3 through Tara. I want less traffic, not more roads for more traffic. I gave up driving quite some time back, and it has actually freed up my time for more productive things. If I get some free time this week, I might see if I can hitch or get bus to Tara. But I can make no promises.
I have other campaigns, job and family taking up my time, so I won't get to Tara very often, so I'm glad that there are people like Lisa Feeney doing this in my name. I get really annoyed though when the opportunities to build solidarity and support are missed due too poor communication.
If even here on indymedia, the posting is that she left the tunnel, but not quickly followed up by any explanation of why (safety, ill health, OR actually achieved something) most people will assume that she just gave up, and a lot of people won't come back later for the update, so context is important, because perception is important.

By the way, "be impossible", do not try to build support for your campaign at the expense of Rossport or the Anti War movement. You alienate allies like that, and both those campaigns used pretty good models for publicity, getting public solidarity and positive media attention (at varying times to varying degrees).

author by tara supportpublication date Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:35author address author phone Report this post to the editors

after many discussions on the issue of original documentation, hope the campaign, in the awareness
of the EU case and future archive retains the original documents and keeps them at a local solicitors.

quite separate from ongoing bail and criminal cases (the state says so, not me)

do not give original documents to anyone- only copies.
they are the property of those who were served with them.

and as everyone has seen.....their purpose is crucial (the preservation order was used with panache at rath Lugh)

do not give your documents away.

author by Browserpublication date Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:08author address author phone Report this post to the editors

There's an article about the M3 protests here:

http://www.examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-q...1.asp

author by .publication date Mon Mar 17, 2008 01:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

http://www.eco-action.org/dod/no10/empire-history.htm

The state had by this time learnt from some of its previous mistakes; no longer would it try to clear the road in stages at the same time as building works progressed. In the past this allowed a healthy mix of offensive action against construction as well as defensive action against clearance. At Newbury the chainsaws were given five months to clear the site. Initially when protests had started the massive increased cost of clearence had pushed up costs - billed straight to the corporations, destroying any profits. Now when the contracts were tendered these millions were factored in - billed straight to the state. This made the campaigns of this period increasingly defensive in nature. Though there were attempts to move beyond this, to a certain extent it was an inevitable result of a change in 'terrain'. Yet the costs of keeping a force capable of clearing a route dotted with camps, with highly evolved defence techniques, needing highly paid specialist climbers to evict, was now immense.

Newbury, more than any other, was a national campaign in one locale. Practically everyone who had been heavily involved in radical eco stuff over the preceding five years bumped into each other in the wasteland. This was no accident - everyone knew that at Newbury the state wanted to break the movement. In reply people were determined to break the state's resolve to build roads beyond Newbury. Glorious defeats for us meant economic defeat for the Department of Transport. This war of attrition had been rolling now for years but at Newbury both sides wanted to put in the death blow. After over a year of building defences, five months of fighting evictions, night after night of sabotage and a lifetime of manic moments, the clearance was finished; but in the aftermath so was the roads programme. Of course it took a while to die. Some projects were still in the pipeline and others were continuing, but after Newbury the conclusion was not in doubt.

A year after the clearance work had started, hundreds arrived at Newbury for the anniversary, now known as the Reunion Rampage. After minor scuffles and tedious speeches from the likes of FoE leadership, fencing surrounding a major construction compound was cut, and the crowd surged in.

"So we put sand in the fuel tanks of generators, took spanners to the motor of the crane. As we were leaving the site, a tipper truck on fire to my left and the crane on fire down to my right, there was one man standing straight in front of me, silhouetted against the bright billowing flames rolling up out of the portacabin. He stood in an X shape, his hands in victory V signs, shouting 'YES! YES! YES!' It wasn't chaotic, there was a sense of purpose, of collective will, of carnival, celebration, strong magic, triumph of people power, of a small but very real piece of justice being done."[45]

author by eeekkkpublication date Mon Mar 17, 2008 01:39author address author phone Report this post to the editors

a friend was there last night when she left the tunnel

there was no machinery

lots of special branch and guards about 15 protesters and a lot of freezing rain and wind

author by m3nmepublication date Mon Mar 17, 2008 01:29author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"Neutral"
> Barry - 32 csm`s post is not infactual at all He asks a question .

You "visited the site" and saw no bulldozer .Can you confirm as Barry asks"if this is true or not " that one had approched the tunnel entrance?
`
"Im sure if a bulldozer approached the tunnel (which is on top of a steep hill) it would be well documented in the media"...would it ? What makes you confident of this.Do you believe that if RTE they had captured the incident ,they would have shown it ?

"A Fan "
>"avoid getting angry at contractors or creating rhetoric that unfairly criminalises the police though"... ???!!

could you explain what you mean .

"Not given"
I dont find your post masks condescencion at all.

author by be impossible demand the reasonablepublication date Mon Mar 17, 2008 01:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Get out of your car you negativist gobshite and go up there and stand in front of a digger - why not just stop your car in front of one of the vehicles you describe. 100 determined people could stop that road for 10 years. If people want to pick a fight with the ideology of this government - and have a place to do it within reach of the cream of berties friends sons and daughters who are gumming like squeek to join in then tara is the place to do it - not shannon - not rossport - they are too far away - the face of neo-liberal globalisation is leering at y'all at tara- even the unacknowledged legislators have spoken. Pass the plate. Pass the word. The weather always improves this time of year and squeek has got y'all a running start of one month (supposedly.) Do not - I repeat do not listen to anyone but those there on the front line.

Oh, that there had been a Squeak
- from Greens on Tara
By - Diarmuid Doyle.

You don't have to be an avid environmentalist to support Lisa Feeney, the 26 year-old psychology graduate who, at the time of writing, is somewhere under the surface of Co. Meath. chained to a car jack, reading a book by Padraig Pearse and holding up the construction of the M3 motorway. There is no requirement on you to believe in the preservation of the treasures and history of the Tara-Skryne Valley in order to admire her idealism and wish her success. The belief that governments and developers have a responsibility to their country's history does not have to course like blood through your veins for you to see that she and her fellow protesters are doing the right thing. In fact, you can be all for the building of motorways and still see that the woman has a point.

It seems unlikely that Feeney, known to her friends as Squeak, will achieve the aim of the protest, which is that a reasonable distance will be left between the new road and the national monument that exists at Rath Lugh. A type of environmental vandalism has been a feature of the whole M3 process and has been embraced by organisations and individuals as diverse as the National Roads Authority, Fine Gael, Noel Dempsey, Dick Roche and the environment minister John Gormley. There seems no reason to think any of these will undergo a kind of Pauline conversion on the road to Kells. Why then, you might ask, should we support environmentalists in their game of hide and Squeak deep in the bowels of Co. Meath? If the building of the road is now an inevitability, why should we sympathise with what might seem to many people like a pointless waste of time, one which the NRA claims could cost the taxpayer as much as €330,000 a week?

The answers to those questions are closely linked to the actual necessity of the M3 motorway, which has never been established in any forum. For sure, there are occasional traffic snarl-ups on the current road and there are clearly many more cars travelling along the route than there used to be. But the construction of a motorway at a cost of hundreds of millions of euros, which will be tolled twice (and which is already behind schedule), always seemed like an excessive response to the problem.

A few weeks ago, when the Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney - importantly, but two years too late - commented on the building of the M3 and the accompanying destruction of the surrounding valley, he made a number of salient points. Not all of them had to do with the environment. In an interview with the BBC, Heaney said the motorway, "literally desecrates an area. I mean the word means to desacrilise and for centuries the Tara landscape and the Tara sites have been regarded as part of the sacred ground".

He referred to the 1916 proclamation of independence (hence, perhaps, Squeak's subterranean reading matter) and the way in which it addressed the Irish people in the name of dead generations."If ever there was a place that deserved to be preserved in the name of dead generations from prehistoric times, it is Tara", he said.

"The traces on Tara are in the grass, in the earth. They aren't spectacular like temple ruins in Greece but they are about origin, they're about beginning, they're about the mythological spiritual source, something that gives the country its distinctive spirit".

In the same radio programme, Jonathan Foyle, the chief executive of the World Monuments Fund, which placed Tara on its list of endangered sites last year, described the entire area around the hill as "the equivalent of Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, for its royal associations, and Canterbury for its Christian associations, rolled into one". And yet, he pointed out, it was being destroyed "to shave 20m minutes off a journey time".

In the comments of those two people you have the case against the M3 in its current form. If Heaney's argument is a little too metaphysical or airy fairy for your tastes, then you can get something practical and tangible out of Foyle's comments. This massive motorway, this costly folly, this ugly monstrosity, is being foisted on one of the country's most historic areas so people can get to the nearest Dublin traffic jam 20 minutes earlier than they do today.

Not all people, by any means. The 20-minute saving referred to by Foyle will apply only to people who drive the full length of the motorway - the vast minority. As you drive along towards Dublin, the time saved becomes less and could easily be achieved by sensible use of bypasses and road improvements. But we live in Ireland in a builders' paradise, and so it was decided for the sake of 1,200 seconds to desecrate 1,200 years and more of history.

Lisa Feeney's protest highlights the massive con job that is being perpetrated on the Irish people, just as her nickname reminds us that there has not been a squeak of protest from the self-styled environmentalists of the Green party about what has been happening to an area of the country they once purported to defend. That point can never be made too strongly.

I pass along the N3 each morning. Most of the delays to traffic these days are caused by the construction of the M3, by the stop/go traffic systems, and by the huge number of lorries, trucks, and diggers entering and exiting the various sites along the route. It is fascinating to watch something so huge come together, but deeply frustrating that it is being done in the name of progress and modernity and getting on with things, as though making it to the Blanchardstown tailback a few minutes early was some kind of achievement, some noble ambition.

The M3 motorway will symbolise the new Ireland of riches and business and hurry and tokenism, just as the Tara-Skryne Valley reminds us that we have a national story far removed from multimillion euro vanity projects. Lisa Feeney and her fellow protestors will lose their battle to give that story practical meaning, just as they have lost all the other disputes on the road to the M3. But by suggesting that there is an Ireland beyond concrete and commuting and motorways and toll bridges, they deserve great credit and all best wishes for a safe ending to their protest.

author by neutralpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 22:08author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I visited the site as an interested observer today and yesterday... i did not see any bulldozer or any mechanical equipment whatsoever near the tent at the tunnel.. site security, a health and safety dude and two gardai !!!!! talk of bulldozers etc which are way off the mark do not help.... it harms your protest... im sure if a bulldozer approached the tunnel (which is on top of a steep hill) it would be well documented in the media, as were all events over the last few days..... please stick to factual posts !!!!

author by Barry - 32 csmpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 21:13author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Ive heard one report this evening that claims a bulldozer was parked directly over the tunnel entrance and its engine started in an attempt to remove this girl from her posistion . Can anyone confirm if this is true or not ?

author by not givenpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 20:23author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Anyone got some details on this deal they're mentioning on RTE?
Should expect to hear it first here. If they did back off, then her stint was well worth it. (still doesn't excuse poor communications).

hope she's taking a well earned rest.

author by TaraWatchpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 19:24author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Can someone please post a copy of the notice to quit received by the Tara camp from the OPW last Thursday? Critical legal and public defenses must be made, especially now that the Feeny protest has now concluded.

Here is a copy of a letter that TaraWatch sent to the Office of Public Works the last time they tried this in 2006:

An open letter to the Office of Public Works.

Friday, 8 September 2006

On behalf, of TaraWatch, and the 70% of Irish people who seek to
protect the Tara complex, I would like to formally object to the
threatened removal of the Tara Solidarity Vigil from the public lands
at Tara. It is bad enough that the Office of Public Works is
sanctioning the desecration of the Tara complex, an act that will
itself go down in history as an all-time low in the administration
and protection of the shared national heritage of Ireland.
Practically every reputable expert in the world, including some of
your own archaeological consultants, has put you on notice of the
perversity of the current route.

But threatening innocent, Irish, peaceful civil objectors with
criminal prosecution, for simply lamenting the demise of Tara at your
hands is morally and legally perverse. These are the actions of a
failed administration, that props itself up with Irish taxpayers
money being spent on public relations exercises, misinformation and
media manipulation. Now public money is to be spent prosecuting
private citizens who object to what they believe to be a criminal act
on the part of the Government; ie, the unlawful commercial
development of our proudest national monument, the Hill of Tara.

The proposed route of the M3 motorway veers 3.5km off course to the
east, between Dunshaughlin and Navan, to plough through the Tara
complex, which extends between the hills of Tara and Skryne. At
approximately 10 millions euros per kilometer, that is an extra 35
million euros added to the cost of the route. This route needlessly
crosses the N3 twice, just north of Dunshaughlin, and then crosses
back to the western side of the N3, just 1000 meters from the crest
of the Hill of Tara. This 50 acre interchange at Blundelstown,
adjacent to a proposed dump, will cost at least another 20 million
euros.

There is no population centre whatsoever in the region of the massive
Blundelstown Interchange, and in fact the Minister for the
Environment has promised that sever limitations will be placed on the
area. If a western route was chosen, that went the same distance to
the west, as the current route goes to the west, 3.5km, then Trim
could have been serviced by the M3, and Tara could have been spared.
That option is still available, and should be reconsidered, because
it saves not only Tara, but approximately 50 million euros in
construction costs.

May I remind you, as public servants, that according to a Red C Poll
in 2005, 70% of Irish citizens oppose the currently proposed route
and want the M3 rerouted. Many of them have deemed you and your
administration as morally bankrupt, and to be honest, inept and
intellectually challenged. That impression will now attach to the
Irish nation as a whole, thanks to your refusal to listen to
overwhelming expert and public opinion. This matter is, quite simply,
a no-brainer. Just move the road, like you did in Waterford where
you found at Viking site.

May I also remind you of the findings of the EU Commissioned Kampsax
Report into Carrickmines Castle and the M50.

"The lack of a consistent and robust curatorial support for the
archaeology of Carrickmines Castle is one of the more unfortunate
aspects of the entire affair. The dispute between the National Museum
and Dúchas: the Heritage Service about their clear statutory
responsibilities to preserve the buried heritage of Ireland was not
helpful, and fell short of what might be expected [see §4.6.2
above]. To the extent that parts of this admittedly important site
may not to have been properly mitigated prior to destruction, the
curatorial system has been shown to less than fully effective,
especially where the impression was given that one curator (Dúchas)
was more concerned about the road construction programme than its
archaeology.

Since Dúchas was closed down in 2003, you have taken on the primary
curatorial role in respect of Irish archaeological remains, and it is
your duty to do your utmost to preserve the integrity of the delicate
limited resource. Both your action with regards to the objectors, and
your inaction with regards to failing to object to the current route,
point to a complete breach of duty, at the behest of the road
builders, Meath County Council and the National Roads Authority. You
have consistently ignored warnings from the Heritage Council, the
Discovery Programme, the National Museum, the Meath Archaeological
and Historical Society and numerous other national and international
bodies such the American Institute of Archaeologists

The Irish citizens who are holding a vigil at Tara are quite clearly
exercising their constitutionally protected right to freedom of
speech. Your threat to remove them is equally clearly an attempt to
quell that speech. And it is not only their views that you choose to
muffle, but the views of the vast majority of Irish people, both
locally, nationally and internationally, who oppose both your attack
on their monument, but your assault on her protectors. Their voices
will not be silenced, and is in fact are swelling as each day passes.
The more you try and suppress them, the louder they will get.

Instead of fuelling further conflict, I urge that you follow the lead
taken in other environmental issues, where dialogue was opened
between the parties, through a mediator, and an independent
assessment of the project was commissioned. There are many viable
alternatives that can still be chosen which will accommodate the
protection of Tara and the delivery of a solution to traffic problems
on the N3. Not only that but you can save the taxpayer 10s of
millions, not only in road construction, but in delays associated
with even more legal challenges, both nationally and internationally.

Sincerely,

Vincent Salafia
Legal Affairs Officer
info@tarwatch.org

Related Link: http://www.tarawatch.org
author by phats - Galway Food Not Bombspublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 18:42author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Maith an cailin! Well done for bringing so much attention to the issue. Can't have been easy to stay in that tunnel for so long. Good on ye everyone in the camp in Tara.

author by Caelpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 15:17author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Fair play dhuit, a Lisa. You certainly gave the gombeens something to think about. The Irish nation can be very proud of you.

author by not givenpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 15:09author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Patronising xxxx
author by Reply to not givenpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 14:55Report this post to the editors

"Your post is unbelieveably patronising."

Not in the least bit. Patronising comments feign sympathy and empathy which masks condescencion and usually intends to sap morale. I make constructive comments in the hope that it will work better the next time.
Your post is naive and based on emotional reaction rather than cold hard assessment. If you view your struggle as a war for something, look at your actions from a disciplined, detached "cost-benefit" and "risk assessment" point of view, not a "death or glory rose tinted glasses" view.

I genuinely wish the woman well, and congratulated her, and tried to point out a few lessons to learn. It doesn't happen enough in this country where people sit down and try to see what went right and what went wrong in order to better next time. She has the guts, which is necesary, but not enough on its own.
What did this action achieve?
Plenty of publicity when it started, a pretty gutsy posed photo.
But then, an undermining front page of her dad appealing for her to end the protest, and now, what appears to be a climb down.
Where is the press release explaining why it ended and why?
It's not even on indymedia!
Remember, if the opposition have professional PR people, then their statements will get halfway around the globe before the truth gets it's trousers on. Even in the wider activist communtiy
So, the appearance given out is along the lines of, "protestor does big ballsy stunt, then realises can't continue, and gives up." Perception is important. Learn that.
BEFORE Ms. Feeney went down in the tunnel, she and her support group should have thought of a list of scenarios whereby the protest would end (always better to have your limits clear before you put yourself in such a situation) and have the bones of a various versions of press release ready to go, because, as I have learned, the media scramble won't be kind to the unprepared when these things end.

"The action was not nor could not have been undertaken on a whim."
Perhaps it WAS not, but to say it COULD NOT have been undertaken on a whim is some stretch of reality. PLENTY of direct action is this country has been poorly planned and undertaken on a whim. I won't go into detail in that, real can of worms as it is. Suffice it to say, when direct action gets a reputation for being poorly planned, it doesn't encourage many others to adopt the same tactics. From my own experience I KNOW that its easy to underestimate the amount of support needed for actions, and the amount of contingency planning and back up resources needed. I may be wrong, but certainly, _the appearance_ is that this action wasn't very well prepared, and if that is NOT the case, Ms Feeney and co have done little to counter that impression, even on indymedia, which is not exactly hostile to her cause. Calling me "patronising" is not good enough. prove me wrong.

"You obviously have no contact with those involved,"

That's the most accurate part of your posting. No, funnily enough, I don't have personal contact with every campaign and direct action group in the country, and that, thankfully, is because there are quite a few good campaigns and also, THEY have not even posted on indymedia to comment on the end of the protest. Am I to blame for that??
As someone outside the inner circle, do I have no right to an opinion? Perhaps Indymedia should have password enable comment posting so only 'those in the know' can comment eh?

"Spare us"
From what exactly? Decent advice, a bit of reflection? You need to get past the backslapping comraderie at some point. Actions need to be EFFECTIVE at the end of the day, either at a direct level, or building support. If that bit of reality ruins your party, I make no apologies for it. Who told you victory would be quick or easy or glamorous?
If you can't recognise advice when you see it, you're just running on ego.
So, you know what? You spare ME the knee jerk reactions. I've outlined a few things that were missing. Can you provide the answers?

author by Reply to not givenpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 13:55author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Your post is unbelieveably patronising.The action was not nor could not have been undertaken on a whim.You obviously have no contact with those involved, Spare us

author by a fanpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 13:41author address author phone Report this post to the editors

WELL DONE SQUEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!

I have so much respect for the protestors......avoid getting angry at contractors or creating rhetoric that unfairly criminalises the police though...as soon as that is done the battle is lost.

WELL DONE SQUEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!

author by DMpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 13:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

T'was front page in the times today, her actions were vindicated by the deal they got with the NRA to delay work, a small victory but a victory none the less. Fair play for a brave and important action.

author by Seán Ópublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 13:30author address author phone Report this post to the editors

In the Sunday Independent an Taoiseach says Lisa Feeney has "made her point. She's made her protest. She should mind her health." I find Mr Ahern unbelievably patronising and condescending. He lowers us and insults us more and more day by day.

It seems the road could be quite easily moved a matter of 100 metres from Rath Lugha. Why isn't it done? Where is the principled Green Party? Are they learning from Mr Ahern? They will lose votes. Can't understand why their staff are not already leaving.

author by not givenpublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 13:26author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Don't do stuff like this out of impulse or bravado. You have to really think about it, how other people, friends, family, employers and the courts will view your action, and decide if you can deal with the fall out. Make sure you have support. If the answer is no, don't even start. If the answer is yes, then plan it well, set up contingency plans where you can, and make sure you have people to support you physically and emotionally and some sort of Health and Safety back up.

Fair play for trying. took guts.

Preparation is the food of victory.

author by mikepublication date Sun Mar 16, 2008 09:54author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Tunnel has been filled in with earth.

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