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The very controversial building of the M3 motorway through the landscape of Tara has been revealed in a new and shameful light. Archaeologically, historically and culturally the Tara landscape is one of the most valued in Irish history, and yet the Irish government have gone ahead and pushed through one of the most severely fought over motorways in Ireland.

Do they rue the day, this road that pushed its way across a pristine landscape? I doubt it, suddenly the cold wind of depression is blowing down their necks, and the high cost of such an act begins to be questioned from outside the sphere of national government.

There has been bitter campaigning by groups of people opposed to the rape of the landscape round Tara and too many it has seemed that rules have been broken given Ireland's place in the international laws that pertain to environmental, historical and archaeological areas.

That they contravened UNESCO's rules is highlighted by a Petition bought forward by TaraWatch in June 2008 when it was stated that "Ireland had been in breach of the Convention* since 1991, by failing to nominate the Hill of Tara to be a World Heritage Site, until after the M3 motorway was approved."

In the petition TaraWatch called for a 'greater area' of land to be declared as a national and cultural protection zone, this was to include not only the entire Hill of Tara but with the Tara/Skyrne valley to also include the defensive forts of Rath Lugh (now undermined by the road) Rath Miles and Ringlestown Rath. Part of the great henge of Lismullin lies under the M3, though active resistance to stop the road being built were to be found at both Rath Lugh and Lismullin.

Recent news in the Irish Times highlights once again the arrogance of the Irish government's attitude in pushing forward destructive environmentally sensitive actions that have severe repercussions for the historical heritage of Ireland.

"IN a judgment which could have far-reaching implications, the EU has ruled that Ireland had wrongly interpreted the requirements for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for certain planning projects."
The report further goes on to state that: "the European Commission said the directive required other factors to be taken into account, such as location, the sensitivity of the geographical area and the potential impact on landscapes of historical and archaeological significance."

Though this cannot stop the destruction that has already taken place in building this road across the landscape, it may in its wake bring a halt to the 'development' that threatened at one time to follow the roads progress. Short term decisions often bring long term destruction and The Hill of Tara suffered in consequence of an ill fated decision.

Notes:

"The Convention has as its goal the identification and protection of cultural and national heritage of "outstanding universal value"
- UNESCO adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage ("The Convention") in 1972. Ireland ratified the Convention in 1991.

STOP PRESS:

Her Majesty has just told the House of Commons that the Heritage Protection Bill is to be dropped.

Her body language suggested that she wasn't amused by plans to tip the balance of heritage protection significantly in favour of speed and the interests of developers or by the idea that local councillors should be given more power to make the decisions.

"Comrades, heritage belongs to all my subjects" (she is thought to have muttered). "No way am I going to let it be carved up for the benefit of just a few".

Congratulations to our archaeologist correspondent who wrote here just a couple of weeks ago -

"Let's hope the credit crunch puts paid to this bill, it is a can of worms"

http://www.heritageaction.org/?page=theheritagejournal&id=217