Smithsonian puts Hill of Tara
on list
- of endangered must-sees
By - Breda Heffernan.
ONE of the world's leading museums has included the Hill
of Tara in a list of must-see endangered cultural
treasures.
The latest edition of the "Smithsonian Magazine", which
is attached to the influential American museum of the
same name, has compared the Co. Meath site to the Church
of the Nativity in Bethlehem, thought to mark the birth
place of Jesus.
Campaign group Tarawatch, which is seeking to reroute the
controversial M3 motorway away from Tara, said that
unless the road is moved, the area will never be named a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"The Smithsonian is one of the world's leading cultural
institutions and authorities, and their opinion rubbishes
the claims made by Environment Minister John Gormley that
the M3 is not an obstacle to making Tara a World Heritage
Site", said campaigner Vincent Salafia.
Mr. Salafia said that action must be taken now to "avoid
the Stonehenge scenario" where the British Government has
been told by UNESCO that it must move roads from around
the ancient site. The "Smithsonian Magazine" quotes
Professor George Eogan, who is critical of the current
motorway plans and is also a member of the expert
advisory panel established by the environment minister to
review Ireland's tentative list for World Heritage
Sites.
Prof. Eogan said that the notion that the site would not
be damaged as long as the M3 didn't actually go through
the hill was "the greatest bit of nonsense that I've ever
heard".
When asked if Mr. Gormley will be reviewing plans for the
M3 in light of the Smithsonian list, the minister's
spokesman said: "The minister has no function regarding
the rerouting of the motorway".
© The Irish Independent, 28th. February 2009.
Related Articles:
Tara endangered, says Smithsonian.
Ireland's Endangered Cultural Site.
