Irish Republican News · October 12, 2004

Save Tara campaign launched

A high-profile environmental campaign has begun a bid to stop the construction of a motorway close to the historic seat of the High Kings of Ireland.

Actor Stuart Townsend invited dozens of Irish celebrities and politicians to attend Sunday’s events at the Hill of Tara in County Meath.

Townsend has joined a local action organisation, Save Tara/Skryne Valley Group, to oppose the building of the M3 motorway through the site.

The actor said: “Someone really seems to have it in for our heritage. This is a matter of national importance and I would urge as many people to attend as possible.”

“Barely anyone has tried to stop what surely will be one of the greatest archeological travesties of our time. We here in Ireland seem to just be happy to let road builders dig up and tear through the most ancient and sacred place that exists in our land.”

The campaigners are looking for the NRA to move the route further away from the archaeoligically sensitive area.

People first inhabited the Tara/ Skryne valley during the Stone Age and there are ceremonial constructions on the site dating back to around 2000BC.

The site was considered the capital of Ireland, when it became the seat of the High King, who would rule the dozens of kingdoms that had emerged across the country. The seat stayed at Tara until the sixth century.

Historians, including Dr Muireann Ni Bhrolchain of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, and archeologists attended the event, called Feis Tara Skryne, to lead people on a guided tour of the historical sites and point out their significance.

Environmental campaigner Vincent Salafia said: “We are delighted that this issue is finally getting the attention it deserves. This event will give the new minister for the environment, Dick Roche, a chance to understand what is at stake here at Tara.”

In a statement on his website, Townsend, who starred in Queen of the Damned, said: “The development in Tara represents in microcosm what is happening in the country as a whole.”

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