Stop this motorway madness
Ireland’s premier landscape, an icon of our nationhood, is about to suffer an act of vandalism that will see a four-lane motorway, a large intersection and undoubted secondary developments obliterate its landscape. All in the name of progress.
The façade of valuing our heritage has crumbled. The truth is that the decision taken by the Government reveals the mockery of our official portrayal to the world that we pride our culture and heritage dearly.
We do so only when it can be used for economic gain and when it does not get in the way of ‘progress’.
No amount of prevarication by the Government about lack of powers or attempting to ameliorate the impact of the motorway can hide this truth.
This is a shameful decision that will have repercussions far and wide.
Since the earliest recording of historical events in Ireland in the seventh century, every significant event that took place at Tara and in its surrounding landscape has been recorded.
The judgment of history will be harsh on those who advocated and acquiesced to this decision.
Dr Edel Bhreathnach
Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute
UCD
Joe Fenwick
Dept of Archaeology
NIUG
Conor Newman
Dept of Archaeology
NUIG
CHOOSING my words with care and a heavy heart: the decision to let the M3 ravage the Tara/Skryne landscape is nothing short of an act of treachery against the greater Irish nation.
Those who oppose it must organise themselves effectively to resist this act of barbarism by all means within the law.
Maurice O’Connell
19 Forge Park
Oakpark
Tralee
Co Kerry
WHEN the world learned of the Wood Quay destruction in the 1970s, the international outcry was so great it was thought that such heritage vandalism would never be allowed to happen again in Ireland.
It just has in 2005, in Tara.
Ray Monahan
Cloghaneanode
Castlegregory
Co Kerry
