Goddesses march to the Dáil

national | environment | news report

Wednesday March 14, 2007 10:41

by M. Ni Bhrolchain - The Campaign to Save Tara

muireann at savetara dot com

March 8th 2007 - International Women's Day

The three goddesses of sovereignty of Ireland, Ériu, Fótla and Banba, were represented by three women who walked to the Dáil as part of the Campaign to Save tara. This was International women's day and was intended to draw attention to the relationship between women, the land and its sovereignty in early Ireland.

Three goddesses walk to the Dáil

On Thursday 8th March three women walked to the Dáil, where a Proclamation was read out. The Proclamation asserts the rights of the people of Ireland to their heritage and historical places, and the duty of the Government to protect that heritage. The demonstration is organized by the Campaign to Save tara to protest at the routing of the proposed M3 tolled motorway through the tara/ Skryne Valley in Co. Meath.
The three women represent the three ancient Goddesses of Ireland; Ériu, Banbha, and Fódhla, who traditionally stand for Sovereignty, Wisdom and Justice. The protesters claim that these three principles are being breached by the proposed motorway.
The Proclamation says:
“The Government and National Roads Authority scheme to deface the tara/ Skryne Valley with the M3 tolled motorway signals a massive National and International tragedy that must be prevented. The destruction of our ancestral past inflicts a wound on the collective memory and so this cultural vandalism presents a clear and present threat to the welfare of future generations.
Today, International Women’s Day, we call on the Government, particularly the Taoiseach, the Minister for Transport and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to reverse the decision to build the M3 in an area which is both timeless and priceless”.
Deputy Emmet Stagg (Labour) came out to meet the women and to hear their concerns about the route of the road.
In addition to the re-routing of the road the protesters want the tara/Skryne Valley designated a World Heritage Site. Under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, which was signed by Ireland in Paris 1972, the area of the Hill of tara fulfils all three categories as a World Heritage Site; having being created intentionally, having evolved organically and being of cultural importance.
The Campaign to Save tara is a new umbrella group based in Navan, its General Election campaign strategy will be formally launched in the next few weeks.