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Gold Road identified

The above graphic was produced by Joe Fenwick of the National University Ireland Galway and added to by Druidschool. The following script was taken from the Tara Skreen website.

Activities and events that have taken place since January 2004 – most were
arranged by the Save TaraSkryne Valley Group (STSV).
For those who do not want to read the entire script below this is a resumé:

(Meeting with Eamonn Gilmore T.D. 28th January
Edel Bhreatnach, Conor Newman, Joe Fenwick and M. Ní Bhrolcháin met him
(Labour Party spokesman on the Environment. This was not arranged by the
STSV)
Meeting with John Bruton T.D. for Meath, the constituency in which Tara is
situated (ex-Taoiseach of the country)
Edel Bhreatnach, Conor Newman, Joe Fenwick meet John Bruton. (Not arranged
by STSV)

Meeting with UNESCO February 18th
they were here to examine the threat that the proposed incinerator beside
Newgrange posed to the Bend in the Boyne.
Symposium in Dalgan Park March 13th
Speakers were Alfred Smyth, Conor Newman, Joe Fenwick and Edel Bhreatnach
and Mary Deevey (archaeologist for Meath County Council). Conor, Joe and
Edel produced a definitive statement.
Meeting between members of Meath County Council, the National Roads
Authority and members of the Save the Tara Skryne Valley Group April 5th
presentation by Edel, Conor and Joe with points made by various members of
the Save the TaraSkryne Valley Group (STSV) group along with Meath
Archaeological and Historical Society (MAHS).
(Towards the end of April the fully dressed Viking was discovered in
Woodstown, Waterford and over the next 4 weeks it was discovered that the
350 finds admitted to were in fact 3,500 with more silver than had been
found in Woodquay.)
Test trenching
Began in April and was completed in August. The number of sites admitted to
by NRA originally were 6. The total is now at least 38 and the estimated
price for excavation was €10 million in April, by October it had risen to
€30 million.
Meeting with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment – 28th April
Edel Bhreatnach, Conor Newman and Joe Fenwick made an expert presentation to
the committee along with members of STSV group and MAHS.
(Weekend 14th – 16th May EU Ministers for the Environment visit Waterford.
Some academics there to highlight the Woodstown site to the media.)
Public Meeting in Navan of farmers and landowners affected by the Compulsory
Purchase Orders May 31st
STSV organised a public meeting addressed by Seamus Magee of the IFA (local
branch) and Tom Carney of the Law Dept. Trinity College, Dublin.
National Roads Authority (NRA) called in by Oireachtas Joint Committee on
the Environment – June 1st
NRA representatives and their chief archaeologist appear in front of the
Joint Committee.
(Beginning of June – comprehensive submission made to UNESCO in the context
of their February visit).
Amendment to the National Monuments Bill (brought by Martin Cullen, minister
for the Environment 16th June
Dáil begins to debate the National Monuments Bill, a protest held by various
groups outside the Dáil.
Press Conference (Chester Beatty Library) June 21st
One of the principal speakers was barrister Frank Callannan severely
criticised bill. He said as part of his speech:
‘The National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004 has a number of immediately
striking objectionable features as a piece of proposed legislation … and
this renders both the speed of it and the lack of consultation surrounding
this legislation reprehensible if not sinister … The Minister has advanced
no grounds to justify what might itself in legislative terms be
characterised as an act of vandalism.’
Protest held outside the Dáil against the new Bill June 22nd
The group and others heritage protesters were outside the Dáil and attended
the debate on the Bill. Again the opposition parties were very supportive of
our cause. All these debates available on the Dáil website.
Oireachtas Joint Committee for the Environment debate the new Bill June 23rd
The opposition parties pressed the Minister very strongly on the new bill
and laid down numerous amendments that were refused by Martin Cullen.
The Bill was passed despite all the protestations of the opposition parties
particularly the Green Party, Sinn Féin and the Labour Party.
Press Conference in the Chester Beatty Library (exposing Minister Cullen as
misleading at the Oireachtas Joint Committee June 23rd) July 7th
Speakers included Philip Cantwell (Save Trim Castle), M. Ní Bhrolcháin
speaking on Waterford and Vincent Salafia on Tara. Minister Cullen was
accused of misleading the Prime Time programme and also misleading the
sub-committee during the debate on the new National Monuments Act.
(TG4 did an interview with M. Ní Bhrolcháin and broadcast the fact that the
Minister had mislead to the committee. The Sunday Tribune was the only
newspaper to follow up on this.)
(August-September – The Carrickmines case went to the High Court, judge
Laffoy made a long judgement against the plaintiff but she also said:
‘It is not inconceivable that in a hypothetical case, a person in the
position of the plaintiff, a concerned private citizen, could successfully
challenge a statutory measure on the basis that it purported to permit a
clear-cut breach of the State’s duty to protect the national heritage.’)
This will be relevant if the Tara case goes to court
September – the actor Stuart Townsend backs the TaraSkryne Valley campaign
He also pledges the support of his girlfriend Charlize Theron.
Jim Fitzpatrick agrees to paint Charlize as a fundraiser for the campaign.
Stuart Townsend appears on the Late Late Show October 8th
Pat Kenny, Ireland’s premier talk show host, interviews him about the
destruction of Tara.
Stuart Townsend appears in Skryne and Tara accompanied by Conor Newman (the
world expert on Tara) October 10th
There was a large crowd in Tara to hear speeches from M. Ní Bhrolcháin, Phil
Cantwell (local Meath independent councillor), Stuart Townsend and Conor
Newman. Conor then brought the crowd on a guided tour of Tara explaining its
archaeological and spiritual significance.
The Sunday Tribune announces that it starting a campaign against the
proposed route of the M3 10th October. This is followed by full page
articles on the 17th and 24th October. Most editions since have had articles
on the topic including some editorials.
Group presents a submission to the new minister Friday 5th November.
A delegation presented a submission against the road to the departmental
offices of the new minister, Dick Roche, including a print out of the 10,000
names on the petition.
The Labour Party table a private member’s motion in the Dáil
Tuesday/Wednesday 23-24th November against the M3 route 5-9 p.m. each
evening
The Party joined their private members time with Sinn Féin, Green Party and
the Independents. Fine Gael party was weak on the issue. The Minister for
the Environment did not appear to reply – he sent the Minister for Transport
instead (Martin Cullen ex-minister for Environment). There were some
extraordinary speeches made by the likes of Emmet Stagg and Michael D.
Higgins. The debate was very well attended in the gallery on both evenings.
There was a briefing session on Tuesday with Joe Fenwick, Prof. George
Eogan, Edel Bhreathnach and Conor Newman meeting with various Dáil members.
Protest held outside the Dáil to draw attention to the March for Tara
Saturday 27th November.
Independent Senators table a motion in the Senate Wednesday 24rd November
Independent senator Joe O’Toole and Senator Shane Ross table a motion in the
Senate asking to reroute the road.
The Prime Time TV programme does a long feature on Tara Thursday 25th
November interviews with V. Salafia, Percy Jordan, M. Ní Bhrolcháin on the
Hill and a studio debate between Conor Newman and Michael Egan (of the NRA).
(Chairman of Meath County Council calls the monuments found so far ‘pots and
pans’. He is Tommy Reilly the now-declared Fianna Fáil candidate for a
by-election in Meath caused by John Bruton going to Washington)
March for Tara – from the Garden of Remembrance to Woodquay Saturday 27th
November
Among those who attended, Trevor Sergent Leader of the Green Party, Ciarán
Cuffe Green Party TD and Aonghus Ó Snodaigh Sinn Féin TD. Also present the
songwriter Pete St John and members of the band Kila. Hundreds of people
walked in the March that was covered by all TV channels on the news and
newspapers.
The Irish Times writes an editorial against the route – Saturday 27th
November.

Sean Haughey is the new chairman of the Environmental committee
He says that the road should be re-routed and calls the route ‘bordering on
vandalism’! Tuesday 30th November.
(Son of Charlie Haughey of course)
NRA take out full page ads in newspapers addressing our ‘myth’s about Tara
Sunday 12th/Monday 13th December – total estimated cost €120,000.



Environmental Committee visit the Hill with George Eogan Thursday 16th
November
Only five members make the visit. A poll by the Sunday Tribune says that
they will vote for the route
Both Environment and Transport Committees announce that they will discuss
the route again
The Transport Committee looks for letters of interest by 11th January 2005

(The Newspaper and general media coverage now extends to the tabloid and all
major radio channels. We have been contacted by newspapers and TV stations
abroad.)
The letters begin to appear in the papers again from Joe Fenwick, Conor
Newman, Julitta Clancy (MAHS) with the general public getting more and more
involved.
END OF RESUMÉ




MAJOR EVENTS SINCE JANUARY 2004 – THE FULL REPORT

Meeting with Eamonn Gilmore T.D.
28th January - Edel Bhreatnach, Conor Newman, Joe Fenwick and M. Ní
Bhrolcháin met Eamonn Gilmore T.D. (Environment spokesman Labour Party). He
listened for 2 hours with great interest and arranged a meeting with the
Oireachtas joint committee on the Environment; the Labour Party issued a
statement from him against the road immediately. (This was not arranged by
the STSV group)

Meeting with John Bruton T.D. for Meath (ex-Taoiseach of the country)
Shortly afterwards, Edel Bhreatnach, Conor Newman, Joe Fenwick met John
Bruton who is a local T.D. for the area. He also showed some interest and
eventually wrote some very important letters and made some important
statements in support of moving the road from that route. In one letter he
said:
‘My concern as a local public representative is that a new road be provided
at the earliest possible time. My worry is that going ahead with this route
may not, in fact, prove to be the quickest way of getting the road but in
fact the slowest and most expensive because of all the delays that will be
necessitated by the archaeological discoveries that will emerge.’
(This was not arranged by the STSV group)
John Bruton has reiterated this concern again recently.
Meeting with UNESCO
18th February - a variety of groups met UNESCO representatives about the
proposed incinerator beside Newgrange. They agreed to allow the Save the
TaraSkryne Valley Group (STSV) to be part of the delegation. We made a
presentation to them and also made a written submission to their enquiries.
But when it came to the UNESCO meeting in June/July it was felt by them that
the issue of Tara was not relevant to the incinerator case.

Symposium in Dalgan Park
13th March – the symposium on Tara where the speakers were Alfred Smyth,
Conor Newman, Joe Fenwick and Edel Bhreatnach and Mary Deevey (archaeologist
for Meath County Council). Chairpersons included M. Ní Bhrolcháin and
Vincent Comerford, professor of History, NUIM. This was an extraordinary
event at which people became quite animated and angry about the issue.
Conor, Joe and Edel produced an agreed document with a definitive statement
on the importance of Tara and the faults in the original Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS).

(17th March – protest held in Trim about the proposed hotel to be built
within 50 yards of Trim Castle that will be higher than the castle itself.)

Meeting between members of Meath County Council, the National Roads
Authority and members of the Save the Tara Skryne Valley Group
5th April – there was a presentation by Edel, Conor and Joe with points made
by various members of the STSV group including the possibility of taking
legal action outlined by Vincent Salafia. The crucial question pursued by us
was ‘why this route?’ After asking the question over and over again we got
the response that ‘a preferred route emerges’ but eventually the NRA
admitted that the route was chosen on the basis of cost benefit analysis.
The routes are assessed on three criteria: engineering, economics and the
environment (archaeology is a subsection here). The major points made were
that the NRA were aware of the fact that there were dozens of monuments in
the area, they had not listened to the experts (at the oral hearing with An
Bord Pleanála), the EIS was ‘fundamentally flawed’, inadvisability of the
use of test trenching instead of geophysical methods for the initial
exploratory investigation.

(Towards the end of April the fully dressed Viking was discovered in
Woodstown, Waterford and over the next 4 weeks it was discovered that the
350 finds admitted to were in fact 3,500 with more silver than had been
found in Woodquay.)

Test trenching
Test trenching began in April and was completed in August. For those of you
who do not know, this entails stripping the land in herring bone shaped
trenches with a mechanical digger that takes 2 feet of the top soil away.
Many new sites were discovered.
The complete report sent on CD-ROM to Conor, Joe and M. Ní Bhrolcháin at the
end of September. Cf. below.
The number of sites admitted to by NRA originally were 6. The total is now
38 and the estimated price for excavation was €10 million in April, by
October it had risen to €30 million.

Meeting with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment
28th April – Edel Bhreatnach, Conor Newman and Joe Fenwick made an expert
presentation to the committee. (This comprises TDs and Senators from the
Government parties and the opposition parties.) Presentations were also made
by members of STSV group and MAHS. (Full transcripts of these meetings
available.) Vincent Salafia made a presentation on the legal aspect of the
case.

(Weekend 14th – 16th May EU Ministers for the Environment visit Waterford.
Some academics were there to highlight the Woodstown site to the media.)

Public Meeting in Navan of farmers and landowners affected by the Compulsory
Purchase Orders
31st May – STSV organised a meeting for farmers and landowners who were
affected by the CPOs that were being issued by Meath County Council at the
time. There was great anger expressed by certain farmers about the way in
which their farms were being dissected by the various roads going through
the county. Other landowners expressed anger at the fact that there was no
compensation for the future loss of earning. Speakers included Seamus Magee
of the IFA (local branch) and Tom Carney of the Law Dept. Trinity College,
Dublin who also had personal experience of CPOs. The speed with which the
motorway was being pushed through was criticised. Tom Carney said that the
compulsory purchase of private property for the use of a private company may
be unconstitutional as land should only be taken for the common good.

National Roads Authority (NRA) called in by Oireachtas Joint Committee on
the Environment
1st June – the NRA representatives and their chief archaeologist appear in
front of the Oireachtas Joint Committee. They say that only 2 sites appeared
in the initial geophysical survey, the National Monuments legislation is
outdated and not geared for today’s infrastructure. The present route
selected because it was the best on most of the 18 criteria used. Any route
around TaraSkryne would mean longer link roads, longer time for people
driving. The present route avoids sites.
There was vigorous questioning from the opposition politicians, especially
from the Green Party.

(Beginning of June – comprehensive submission made to UNESCO in the context
of their February visit).

Amendment to the National Monuments Bill (brought by Martin Cullen, now
ex-minister for the Environment)
16th June - Dáil begins to debate the National Monuments Bill, a protest
held by various groups outside the Dáil. Members of the opposition parties
and MEPs came out to meet the protesters. There was a very robust debate in
the Dáil and many opposition speakers castigated the minister for the speed
and the content of the bill.

Press Conference on National Monuments Bill (Chester Beatty Library)
21st June – one of the principal speakers was barrister Frank Callannan who
had severe criticisms to make of the bill. He said as part of his speech:
‘The National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004 has a number of immediately
striking objectionable features as a piece of proposed legislation.
That does not mean that there are not other which are not immediately
apparent but are fully intended by the Minister and this renders both the
speed of it and the lack of consultation surrounding this legislation
reprehensible if not sinister … It is a profound and radical change to the
provisions of the existing National Monuments legislation for the protection
of National Monuments in Ireland contained in the National Monuments Acts
1930-1994 …
That legislation reflects a long standing consensus in Ireland in relation
to the treatment of National Monuments not merely among political parties
but among the broad community of officials and experts concerned with the
preservation of Ireland's archaeological and historical heritage.
It is proposed to dismantle that consensus with permitting a proper national
or even parliamentary discussion. This legislative scheme is almost as old
as the Irish state. The Minister has advanced no grounds to justify what
might itself in legislative terms be characterised as an act of vandalism.
No justification except of course Carrickmines.
In what is by any standards a frighteningly primitive piece of draft
legislation, the Minister seeks to piggyback a license to destroy other
national monuments on the back of the completion of the motorway at
Carrickmines.’

Protest held outside the Dáil against the new Bill
22nd June – the group and others heritage protesters were outside the Dáil
and attended the debate on the Bill. Again the opposition parties were very
supportive of our cause. All these debates available on the Dáil website.

Oireachtas Joint Committee for the Environment debate the new Bill
23rd June - the opposition parties pressed the Minister very strongly on the
new bill and laid down numerous amendments that were refused by Martin
Cullen.
The Bill was passed despite all the protestations of the opposition parties
particularly the Green Party, Sinn Féin and the Labour Party.
(We lobbied politicians in both the Dáil and the Seanad – giving them the
information and ammunition for the debates. In one debate, the Taoiseach
even agreed with Pat Rabbitte that it was not a good idea to build a
motorway through Tara!)

Press Conference in the Chester Beatty Library – exposing Minister Cullen as
misleading the Oireachtas Joint Committee June 23rd
July 7th – speakers included Philip Cantwell (Save Trim Castle) and M. Ní
Bhrolcháin speaking on Waterford and Vincent Salafia on Tara. Minister
Cullen was accused of misleading the Prime Time programme and misleading the
sub-committee during the debate on the new National Monuments Act.
(TG4 did an interview with M. Ní Bhrolcháin and broadcast the fact that the
Minister had mislead the committee. This was reported by the Sunday Tribune
only.)

August-September – The Carrickmines case went to the High Court, judge
Laffoy made a long judgement against the plaintiff but she also said:
‘It is not inconceivable that in a hypothetical case, a person in the
position of the plaintiff, a concerned private citizen, could successfully
challenge a statutory measure on the basis that it purported to permit a
clear-cut breach of the State’s duty to protect the national heritage.’

September – the actor Stuart Townsend backs the TaraSkryne Valley campaign.
He also pledges the support of his girlfriend Charlize Theron.
Jim Fitzpatrick agrees to paint Charlize as a fundraiser for the campaign.

Stuart Townsend appears on the Late Late Show
8th October - Pat Kenny, Ireland’s premier talk show host, interviews him
about the destruction of Tara.

Stuart Townsend appears in Skryne and Tara accompanied by Conor Newman (the
world expert on Tara)
10th October - there was a large enough crowd in Tara to hear speeches from
myself, Phil Cantwell (local Meath independent councillor), Stuart Townsend
and Conor Newman. Conor then brought us on a guided tour of Tara explaining
its archaeological and spiritual significance.

The Sunday Tribune announces
10th October the paper announces that it starting a campaign against the
proposed route of the M3 and publishes two pages on the issue.
They follow this up with full page articles on the 17th and the 24th
heritage destruction in Ireland and with short articles by various eminent
scholars. Most editions since have covered some aspect of the Tara route.

Group presents a submission to the new minister
Friday 5th November - A delegation presented a submission against the road
to the departmental offices of the new minister, Dick Roche, including a
print out of the 10,000 names on the petition.

The Labour Party table a private member’s motion in the Dáil
Tuesday/Wednesday 23-24th November - against the M3 route 5-9 p.m. each
evening
The Party joined their private members time with Sinn Féin, Green Party and
the Independents. Fine Gael party was weak on the issue. The Minister for
the Environment did not appear to reply – he sent the Minister for Transport
instead (Martin Cullen ex-minister for Environment). There were some
extraordinary speeches made by the likes of Emmet Stagg and Michael D.
Higgins. The debate was very well attended in the gallery on both evenings.
There was a briefing session on Tuesday with Joe Fenwick, Prof. George
Eogan, Edel Bhreathnach and Conor Newman meeting with various Dáil members.
Protest held outside the Dáil to draw attention to the March for Tara
Saturday 27th November.

Independent Senators table a motion in the Senate
Wednesday 24rd November - Independent senator Joe O’Toole and Senator Shane
Ross table a motion in the Senate asking to reroute the road.

The Prime Time TV programme does a long feature on Tara
Thursday 25th November - interviews with V. Salafia, Percy Jordan, M. Ní
Bhrolcháin on the Hill and a studio debate between Conor Newman and Michael
Egan (of the NRA).
(Chairman of Meath County Council calls the monuments found so far ‘pots and
pans’. He is Tommy Reilly the now-declared Fianna Fáil candidate for a
by-election in Meath caused by John Bruton going to Washington)

March for Tara – from the Garden of Remembrance to Woodquay
Saturday 27th November - Among those who attended, Trevor Sergent Leader of
the Green Party, Ciarán Cuffe Green Party TD and Aonghus Ó Snodaigh Sinn
Féin TD. Also present the songwriter Pete St John and members of the band
Kila. Hundreds of people walked in the March that was covered by all TV
channels on the news and newspapers.

The Irish Times writes an editorial against the route – Saturday 27th
November.

Sean Haughey is the new chairman of the Environmental committee
Tuesday 30th November – in the Irish Times he says that the road should be
re-routed and calls the route ‘bordering on vandalism’! Repeated on radio.
(Son of Charlie Haughey of course)

NRA take out full page ads in newspapers addressing our ‘myth’s about Tara
Sunday 12th/Monday 13th December – total estimated cost €120,000.

Environmental Committee visit the Hill with George Eogan
Thursday 16th November - Only five members make the visit. A poll by the
Sunday Tribune says that they will vote for the route

Both Environment and Transport Committees announce that they will discuss
the route again
The Transport Committee looks for letters of interest by 11th January 2005

Chambers of Commerce in Navan, Kells and Dunshaughlin begin a campaign
against STSVG and for the M3.

(The Newspaper and general media coverage now extends to the tabloid and all
major radio channels. We have been contacted by newspapers and TV stations
abroad.)
The letters begin to appear in the papers again from Joe Fenwick, Conor
Newman, Julitta Clancy (MAHS) with the general public getting more and more
involved.

Save Tara / Skryne Valley Group is online at http://www.taraskryne.org