Construction was held up on Fri 18th on the controversial M3 in the Tara Valley by a peaceful demonstration. A small group of concerned active citizens congregated at Rath Lugh at 5:30am. Rath Lugh is one of the seven outer defence forts of Tara which is only approximately 150m from the newly discovered National Monument at Lismullen. When workers arrived at 6:10am, they were unable to get their vehicles on site and gathered on the N3. The workers seemed unaware that the carpark they were using is the newly closed archeological site at Roestown.
According to the maps, the proposed route of the monstrous motorway was supposed to avoid the beautiful iron-age Hill Fort and Coillte Forest. However, since this section of the route was fenced off in December, the removal of ancient trees on the side of the rath has created a cliff face of the hill. The NRA plan on raising the level of the motorway to the top of the rise. This would result in it no longer being visible from the hill of Tara and isolating it from the Tara complex. Rath Lugh is a listed National Monument, but was conveniently not marked on the last Ordnance Survey map.
The demonstrators stood at two gates, one at Roestown on the East of the N3 and the other at Treret at the entrance to the Berrilstown archaeological complex. When workers arrived at 6:10am, they were unable to get their vehicles on site and gathered on the N3. The Assistant Project Manager for the M3 made himself known to the peaceful demonstrators. He seemed shocked as most people are to learn of the extent of the unresolved archaeology still sitting in the path of the 6-lane motorway. The workers seemed unaware that the carpark they were using is the newly closed archeological site at Roestown.
This was a magnificent subterraneancomplex with circular stone chambers joined by architecturally perfect tunnels from the 6th Century AD. Quartz capstones from this site were found in a ditch two weeks ago by a local person. This is an example of the practice of NRA archaeology.
Construction cannot be allowed to continue in the valley until a full independent archaeological assessment of the route through the valley is undertaken. NRA archaeologists have proven themselves inadequate in their professions through allowing themselves be pressured into premature conclusion of their studies. The pace at which they closed up the sites in April was ridiculous and the amount of archaeology still visible in the ground is insulting and unacceptable. This is disappointing yet not surprising considering the NRA have no hard ethics policy. The contractor who has commenced construction in the valley is Howley Construction. Their contract is worth 650 million euro. Can a price be put on the history and knowledge that is being denied and lost within this 6-9km stretch of the motorway alone.
When guards were called to the scene they informed the workers that as it was a peaceful demonstration they had a right to protest. After several hours of these environmental and cultural activists holding the space the construction workers ripped down a fence adjacent to the entrance but were unable to gain vehicular access. There was also a pitiful display of pigeon-chestedness by a lone worker in a mini-digger digging random holes. After the demonstrators moved to allow a local farmer access to cross the route to his cattle the posse of idle construction workers realised that the didle-idle demonstrators were not restricting them from walking on site. At 11:00am approximately they started a few heavy machinery on site but appeared to have run out of diesel after a couple of hours. The space was held at the two gates by the determined joyful group ’til mid-day today, over 30 hours later. No destruction or construction was done in the valley today.
Large cement pipes which were unable to be unloaded at Roestown were then dropped on the archaeological site at Collierstown. As the construction workers are using the access points for the archaeological sites, these are the first areas to be demolished. This strategic destruction of the sites gives urgency to the need for construction to be halted immediately in the valley while their destiny is being decided. The cement pipes at Collierstown are only feet away from the piles of discarded gravestones at the edge of the site. All fencing and site signs have been removed apart from a lone archaeological sign in Polish strewn in the stream that passes through the dismantled graveyard. Bones and teeth are still visible in the topsoil.
This monumental disaster must be averted. The terrifying magnitude of the situation where the destruction and denial of our national landmarks of identity for the personal economic gain of a few already very rich people is beyond comprehension.
Two local farmers stopped at the demonstration yesterday. One said that, since he received his letter of CPO in the post from Meath County Council four years ago, he has never signed his name to any contract or piece of paper. Last Monday, machinery moved onto his land. The other farmer explained how 15 acres of his land has now been isolated from his farm on the other side of the route and no access point has been provided.
The fact that it is governmental manipulation of community needs, vague and watery planning processes, the potential falsification of Environmental Impact Statements and the dnial of the integrity of countless national and world leading independent archaeologists and historians is beyond pathetic. The fact that the motorway won’t even solve the traffic congestion and could only get the commuters to the tailback going into Dublin 10 minutes quicker and that it is all being built by the Public Private Partnership and would have two tolls of €2.80+ on it is beyond a joke.
Who the féck do they think they are?
http://www.savetara.com/Roestown/
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A small number of environmental activists are holding construction workers at bay on the proposed M3.
They need help as quickly and as soon as possible.
On the Navan side of Dunshaughlin take a left turn, they are mainly situated on the Dunshaughlin/Dunsany road.
Ring the activist phone: 0861758557 for specific directions.
Work must be stopped until the election is over at least – and then there may be a chance for Tara.
5pm Monday May 21st – activists being fenced in:
News just coming in that at least one group of activists blocking an entrance have
had a fence built around them this afternoon.
More details as they arrive.
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Gatekeepers still holding
At 6pm today there were 4 gates occupied.
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PRESS RELEASE – TARA – Work Halted along Controversial Stretch of Motorway
Today in the Tara Skryne Valley a number of environmental activists prevented machinery from exiting construction depots along a controversial stretch of the proposed M3 motorway. The protesters maintain that no work should be ongoing along the route until directions are issued by Minister Roche regarding the new national monument at Lismullen. Two weeks ago a massive henge, 80mts in diameter, was discovered along the route through the Valley. Indications are that the henge was a ceremonial site connected to the Hill of Tara. No work took place along the contested stretch before lunchtime today.
The protesters, members of the ‘Tara Solidarity Vigil’ along with a number of locals blockaded gates along the existing N3 preventing heavy machinery from entering the site. According to Donagh Maguire, one of the protesters ‘A national monument has been discovered along this stretch of the road and all construction should be halted pending the Minister’s directions. We will not allow this monument to be destroyed in the same way that a number of other important sites have been destroyed over the last few months. While the country is obsessed with the election the NRA are attempting to quietly bulldoze through the Valley. We will not allow this to happen.’
The Campaign to Save Tara, an umbrella organization representing the majority of groups opposed to the M3 said it understood and supported the actions of the protesters. Michael Canney of the campaign said ‘We fully understand and support the actions of the protesters today, many sites have already been destroyed and it is very important that the public are made aware that we could be sleepwalking into a catastrophe for the county and the country if the NRA are not closely monitored.’
ENDS
Donagh Maguire 0861758557 (in the Tara/Skryne Valley)
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TARA SOS – Protestors being assaulted by M3 motorway workers. Ambulance called.
Tue May 22, 2007
Please come to Roestown as quickly as possible.
Protesters at Tara being manhandled by the workers, including the
assistant project manager of SIAC. An ambulance has been called for one
of the young women who has been injured by the workers. The Gardai are
standing by and have allowed the workers to take the law into their own
hands.
A young protester said:”The workers have illegally ploughed through 2
hedges to make a new entrance, they have assaulted the protesters,
because of the non reaction of the gardai and a young female protester
has been thrown and dragged around the place and now needs medical
attention”.
Why are trying to begin work in the Valley before the election? Why not
at Clonee? What is the rush with work in the Valley?
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Wed:
It is difficult to know how to describe what happened today. We have hundreds of photos and also video footage. To give a resume –
activists manned gates around the Roestown compound individually. They slept there last night. They were joined by member of the public during the day.
Some points need to be emphasised:
one young man was badly assaulted in front of gardaí as the SIAC manager urged on the Howley workers (the contractors on this section) to get him out of the way.
another young woman was thrown out of the way and hurt in the head etc.
another young man was thrown aside by the Howley workers
These by and large are ordinary working men – trying to earn a living. They have been told that they will be fired if they join a union. They did not get this job or take it on the understanding that they would have to behave as bully boys for the NRA.
Protesters were bullied, injured, pushed, intimidated, dismissed by the powers that be. The guards stood back as they were assaulted.
But when they realised that ordinary members of the public and university lecturers were present the attitude changed – so there is a great need for “ordinary people” to be present at this protest.
The election happens on Thursday – they want to destroy the Valley before there is a possible change of Government. The smaller parties have promised to move the road or to review the route or the whole motorway project. They are determined to bulldoze the Valley before then. We have to stop them. Now is the time to act for Tara.
The contractors are determined to attack the Valley – that means Collierstown, Baronstown, Lismullin –
The activists need your help.
It is quite amazing how one person, two people at a gate can stop them.
This is the power of one, two, three … but we need you all now. If you care about Tara – now is the time to act.
Watching three people being threatened by a reversing lowlowder into a small space, reversing into them was the most frightening experience of my life.
We need the academics there – the workers, the chiefs, the guards act differently when they are there.
Photos to follow tomorrow …
Please pass this message on. This is the place where all is happening. You have seen the aerials … you know what they want to destroy … stop them now!
Roestown/ Collierstown/ Baronstown/ Lismullin/ ……………………..
for information ring:
086 1758557
087-9249510
087 3171572