Minister Deenihan Announces Conservation Plan for Tara

Press release from The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta)

24/01/2012 Minister Deenihan Announces Conservation Plan for Tara

 Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan, TD. has announced today (Tuesday 24^th January, 2012) that, in collaboration with the Office of Public Works and the Heritage Council, he has commissioned the Discovery Programme to undertake a Conservation Plan for the Hill of Tara, Co. Meath.

The Conservation Plan will illustrate the unique cultural and historical significance of Tara and identify appropriate policies to ensure its preservation and presentation. Minister Deenihan said that the Conservation Plan would “focus on the State-owned lands”.

The Minister said “the plan will catalogue the character and importance of the Hill of Tara and the issues impacting on it; it will also contain recommendations for policies that will help preserve its status as one of Ireland’s most outstanding national monuments”. The area to be examined includes the immediate environs of the Hill which contribute to the experience and enjoyment of the Hill.

Whilst the Conservation Plan will also consider access and visitor amenity issues, Minister Deenihan stressed that Tara was “essentially an outdoor experience and that should not change”.

The Minister emphasised that the emerging Conservation Plan would “place a key emphasis on consultation with stakeholders, and the local community in particular”. Ultimately, it is intended that the Conservation Plan for the Tara complex will act as an overarching framework for management and interpretation.

Archaeological works to investigate the significant degradation of the covering of the Mound of the Hostages have recently been completed. These excavations have resulted in the removal of a portion of the earthen mound over the passage tomb. Design options for conservation works to the passage tomb and the restoration of the mound are now being considered and will begin as soon as possible.

Tara Reburials - Action on Monday, November 8

On Monday, activists in Dublin will print out and hand-deliver the petition for the reburial of the ancestors whose graves were destroyed in the desecration of the Tara-Skryne valley. They will petition the Irish government at the Dáil Éireann and the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.

If you have not yet signed, I ask you to please follow the links below and do so. If you can attend in person, please join the activists in Dublin on Monday, November 8 · 12:00pm - 2:00pm.

Petition for respectful reburial of ancestors: http://www.petitiononline.com/taraeire/petition.html

Handing in the Tara Reburials Petition: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=158352907521351

Previous posts:
- More Graves Desecrated, Ancestors Remains in Boxes on Shelves
- Meath Motorway Ancestors to be Reburied... well, some of them

New Tara Petition - Taking it to the U.N.

If you signed months or years ago, this is a new petition.

It's not over yet. There has been irreparable damage to sacred sites in the Tara-Skryne valley (notably Rath Gabhra / Rath Lugh). However, it can get worse. If we don't stop this, it will get much, much worse. If the motorway is finished, the corporations will then push to further develop the valley, placing strip malls and petrol stations atop the graves of our ancestors, bulldozing and paving over the land where they once prayed, and where we pray now.

As a comparison for Americans, this is much like the problems at Bear Butte (Nóávóse / Mato Paha) - this sacred, historical site should be preserved as the beautiful, powerful place it was for our ancestors, and should be for our descendants. Ceremonial people, and respectful spiritual people in general, should be able to spend time on the hill in peace, not be disrupted by cars and lights and urban sprawl. Please sign the petition, spread the word, and do what you can. Go raibh maith agaibh / Thank you.

Read and Sign the Petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/UN-Must-Save-Tara
Extensive updates and links from TaraWatch: http://www.tarawatch.org/new-save-tara-petition-to-the-united-nations-goal-of-1000000-signatures
Tara symposium - University College Dublin, School of Archaeology (23rd-26th October 2009): http://www.ucd.ie/archaeology/tarasymposium2009/
TaraWatch Details on Symposium: http://www.tarawatch.org/tara-symposium-university-college-dublin-school-of-archaeology-23rd-26th-october-2009
Alternative plan for Tara: http://www.meathmasterplan.com/

There is also a need for more letter writing to various officials and government bodies, more than I can cover in one post. Check out the main page on TaraWatch for multiple posts on how to help out. Go raibh maith agaibh! Tara Abu!

Irish activist aims for U.S. support to stop highway at Tara

Campaigner Vincent Salafia marches in Dublin to protest against plans to build a highway through the historic Tara valley - Photo by Julien Behal/PA

Now, with legal avenues and protests in Ireland seemingly exhausted, [TaraWatch founder Vincent] Salafia is looking to the U.S. to try and drum up support for his campaign.

The March edition of the Smithsonian magazine, the magazine of the Smithsonian institute, included a feature on the Hill of Tara that quoted Salafia. It said that the “archeologically rich complex on and about the Hill of Tara is seen by many as the spiritual and historic heart of Ireland.”

Read the rest of the article at TaraWatch

Polls say 2 out of 3 people in Ireland are opposed to the M3 and the continuing destruction of the Tara-Skryne/Gabhra Valley, referred to in the article above as, "the most powerful Celtic pagan site". But after years of front line struggle, many people are worn out and feeling hopeless. Americans have been involved in the fight all along, but I think this call from one of the main organizers is particularly relevant for clearing up some recent confusion I've seen from Americans who are unfamiliar with the situation in Ireland.

crossposted to Óenach

Imbolc on the Hill of Tara

The TaraWatch crew will be hosting an Imbolc gathering at Teamhair on Sunday, 1st of February.

The intention is to walk sunwards around the hill with lights or lanterns at dusk, pay homage to the festival and by doing so highlight the continued destruction of the Tara Complex due to the works of the M3 Motorway now reaching its end phase.

People are invited to gather in the Hill of Tara car park at 4.30.

Organiser, John Farrelly, said:

"This should also act as a reminder of the hubris style development which ran riot over our country for the last ten years, laying our environment, social system and economy low, something Tara protesters always warned about and which has now came true."

Contact:
--
John Farrelly (087)127-6829

Vincent Salafia (087) 132-3365

info@tarawatch.org

More Graves Desecrated, Ancestors Remains in Boxes on Shelves

From Irish Indymedia:

Tara Campaigners worldwide are supporting a petition to the Irish Government calling on them to re-inter the remains of individuals whose graves have been desecrated by the ongoing construction of the M3 Motorway in the Gabhra Valley near the historic Hill of Tara in Co. Meath. The petition went live on Saturday 19th July.

Campaigners demand that the ancient remains be reburied in a dignified manner and as closely as possible to the ceremonial layout of the original graveyards. It is estimated that over 60 bodies were disturbed and removed from the Collierstown site and over 27 from Ardsallagh to make way for the double-tolled M3 Motorway. Over the last 15 years of the Celtic Tiger, thousands of bodies have been removed from the earth and stored in warehouses.

The Gabhra Valley is the putative site of the last battle of the Fianna in 284 A.D. and they were said to be buried where they fell along with Cairpre Lifechair king of Tara son of Cormac mac Airt.

Full Story, with pictures of desecrated graves...

Sign the Petition

Public Meeting about Tara

Sunday March 30th, 6PM
Cryans Bar, Main Street
Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim


43 historical and archaeological sites have already been destroyed by the construction of the illegal M3 motorway.

The spiritual heart of Ireland, the core of early Irish history, mythology and sovereignty is disappearing forever under a motorway's concrete. Your heritage is being destroyed.

Our ancestors are being dug up.

Things are now at a critical stage.

Come to the meeting to learn more.

Lend your support to the Direct Action Campaign.

Camps on the Hill of Tara and at Rath Lugh need help urgently.

For more information see http://www.tarapixie.net

Brilliance and Bravery at Rath Lugh

As bulldozers and chainsaws cut into the forest and hill of Rath Lugh - one of a number of ancient tombs and holy wells in peril due to the road work in the Tara-Skryne Valley - protesters have announced that they have dug tunnels under the proposed roadway, and are willing to risk their lives in defense of the land.

For months now our brave pixies have been digging in secret, carrying out buckets of earth under cover of night. They have stocked the tunnels with food and supplies, and are digging in for at least a three month stay.

The soil around Rath Lugh is loose stone and esker. If the road crew attempt to drive their heavy machinery over the land, the tunnels will collapse. One of the women, interviewed in the video below, explains that if the gardaí attempt to enter the tunnel, she will lock herself to the jack holding up the roof. If they then attempt to pull her out, the tunnel will most likely collapse on them all. The question is, will those who are pushing this illegal roadway through, despite the protection orders and 80 percent public disapproval in Ireland alone, have the guts to refuse to harm these human shields, or are they going to have more Rachel Corries on their heads?

Interview from within Rath Lugh Tunnel

Download slightly longer version of this video.

Video of protesters facing down a bulldozer, with a tiny bit of tunnel footage.

Even if the road-builders don't care about killing protesters, falling into a pit is probably going to damage the hell out of their precious machines.

I suggest that instead the Cabinet look to the alternative plan proposed by Brian Guckian and Tadhg Crowley, which would take the money earmarked for the illegal roadway and use it to revitalize the local rail sytem, widen the existing roads rather than build new ones, and fund local business and eco-friendly building solutions. It stands in stark contrast to the M3 plan, as the Guckian/Crowley proposal is the only one that takes a long-term view of the future and the realities of the Peak Oil and Global Warming situation: Sustainable Development Plan for Meath

More info on the protesters defending the earth from within the earth:

M3 motorway protesters claim to have entered tunnel under road
M3 Protesters warn Gardaí: Tunnel "Will collapse"
Tara protesters in for long haul

After viewing the video from inside the tunnels, you can see that what they could probably use besides money for supplies are things like wind up flashlights and radios, books to read, and other things that will help the folks in the tunnels and at the support camps. We have used this address and packages are getting out to the camp:

Tara Solidarity Vigil
PO Box 30,
Navan,
Co. Meath,
Ireland

If you can get to Rath Lugh, now is the time to go.

For more on the encampment at Rath Lugh, including current phone numbers and directions, visit http://www.tarapixie.net/, and watch for action updates on Irish Indymedia and the Sábháil Teamhair (Save Tara) and Hill of Tara YahooGroups.

Situation at Tara is Escalating

Message from Camps, received from Carmel today, Thu Feb 21, 2008:

Digger and chainsaw gang near Souterrain at Lismullin. Urgent callout for people, experts, media.

Actions are continuing to happen on site, at consulates, and at court when protestors are arrested. As usual, bodies are needed on the line.

I try to update periodically but the most up to date news is generally posted first to Irish Indymedia and the TaraWatch listserve.

Another update:

Statement From Rath Lugh and Vigil Camps
Thu Feb 21, 2008 15:52

One of the Sousterrains at Lismullin on the banks of the Gabhra River is in immediate danger today. Construction workers are in the process of felling the trees on the mound above the sousterrain.

Conservationists and members of the public have been gathering at Lismullin Woods today in protest, trying to stop the work which has been deemed illegal by the EU Commission.

Alarmingly there has been no archaeology done on this sousterrain either by NRA or Independent Arcaheologists.
This is one of a possible 6 underground stone structures within 150m of the newly discovered Henge at Lismullin which was handed over to Siac/Ferrovial , the construction companies in late 2007.

This is yet another example of the underhand tactics being used to destroy the physical proof of why the Tara Valley should be protected.Without Archaeological documentation these monuments will never be understood as part of the Tara Landscape.

We call on all those who are opposed to the destruction of the Gabhra Valley to stand now and be counted. Activists and supporters needed URGENTLY henceforth.

Contact Rath Lugh:
0861537146

Vigil:
0861758557

One of areas of site currently under attack. Photo courtesy Michael Martin at Tarawatch

I Stand with Tara - Samhain Ritual

On Samhain night, Oct. 31 2007, people all over the world will be uniting in a ritual to help protect and preserve one of the most sacred sites in Ireland, and indeed the world: The Hill of Tara and the surrounding Skryne Valley, in County Meath, Ireland.

As many of you know, the site is still threatened with destruction. We are working together with activists in Ireland to help stop this, both with this-world activism and with a ritual we've written to help support the activists spiritually.

In the time of our ancestors, Tara was the center of a ritual complex, where signal fires were lit to mark the holy day, and whose light spread out from hilltop to hilltop across the land. Now, the center has been neglected, so much so that some think it is no matter to desecrate it. So we meet on Samhain to add our energy and prayers to revitalise and resacralise Tara.

In the past, the signal and sacred flames were taken from Tara; but on Samhain we will all unite to send the power and blessings back to Tara, to rebuild the source. We will light our individual fires on hilltops and in fields, and in homes around the world. We will have people climbing the surrounding hills all across Ireland, and in many countries the world around. We will unite our flames with the center. We will unite to protect Tara.

Read more at http://www.paganachd.com/tara

At the end of the pre-ritual briefing we've posted information on how to help physically - by writing letters, sending money, calling with moral support, or going and standing in front of bulldozers. Our other offering is this ritual, which I wrote together with my friend and colleague, Raven nic Rhóisín, after we both got some heavy requests from the spirits.

Note - I will be adding more graphics and smoothing out the visuals of the site a bit more in the coming days, but all the info should be there. We welcome your feedback! If you plan on participating in the ritual, please consider letting us know. We may be posting a list of participants on the site. If you write us, let us know how you'd like to be named. We suggest using one of the formats in the ritual, explained in under the "Introduce yourself (threefold) and Lighting the Signal Fires For Tara" instructions on the pre-ritual briefing page (http://www.paganachd.com/tara/pre-ritual.html).

cross-posted to a handful of other places. feel free to re-post this message and link to the ritual on the website.