Tara protesters in for long
haul
By - Adam Harvey, at Rath Lugh.
PROTESTERS AT Rath Lugh, a small hill near Tara, say they
can hold out for months in a series of tunnels they have
dug into a hillside to try and stop construction of the
M3 motorway.
The protesters say the tunnels descend from a barricaded
camp built on the slopes of Rath Lugh, a prominent
forested hill capped by ancient earthworks that
protesters say dates to around 300BC.
Construction work will collapse the tunnels and risks
killing the protesters inside, they say.
Part of the hill will have to be excavated to allow the
passage of the motorway. A temporary protection order has
so far prevented motorway builders from cutting into the
slope, but the protesters expect the order to be lifted
imminently. The protesters say they were told last week
that they will be evicted from Rath Lugh.
The protesters, who object to a motorway cutting through
an area dotted with ancient ruins and important historic
sites, say they have spent six months building the
tunnels, which they plan to occupy if construction work
moves ahead at Rath Lugh.
"It's taken six months to build them," said Lisa Feeney,
one of the protesters who has set up camp at Rath
Lugh.
"We've built them with lump hammers, buckets and a string
system", said Ms. Feeney. "It's a labyrinth - a lot of
the work was done by night over the last couple of
months. Security hasn't really noticed because we've been
bringing out bags of sand and dumping it nearby. Real
Shawshank Redemption stuff".
The Irish Times had to take the protesters at their word,
since they would not allow a viewing of their underground
excavation. "We don't want anyone to know exactly where
the tunnels are", said Ms. Feeney.
There were plenty of places at Rath Lugh where tunnel
entrances could be hidden. The site is covered with trees
and dotted with tents, including a kind of canvas teepee
headquarters that was warmed by a wood-burning cooker.
When The Irish Times visited yesterday, the protesters
were using it to cook a breakfast of eggs. Smoke escaped
through an opening at the top of the teepee.
Ms. Feeney said that the tunnels are stocked with food,
and will be occupied at the first sign of excavation
work. She said it would be difficult to remove protesters
because the tunnels will be considered too dangerous for
gardaí or rescue personnel to enter.
Ms. Feeney said protesters were prepared to risk their
safety in the tunnels. "Look, we're not a bunch of
anarchists trying to get rid of corporate greed. We're
just trying to save this valley. I don't know if I want
to live in a world that doesn't have places like Tara in
it".
© The Irish Times, 10th. March 2008.
Related Articles:
M3 Protesters warn Gardaí: Tunnel "will
collapse".
M3 motorway protesters claim to have entered Tunnel under
road.
21st. century Souterrain.
Video
footage of Rath Lugh Tunnel.
