Meath people do not own
Tara
Dear sir - I would like to take issue with S. K. McKee's
letter in your paper last week (November 11th.) that was
directed at me. The writer described me as a Kildare
"outsider", accused me of knowing what's best for County
Meath, disregarding the view of the locals and then goes
on to allow me to be entitled to my opinion.
I would never presume to know what is best for the
citizens of any county but I do believe that the present
route of the M3 is a death knell for Tara. Your writer
also says: "Indeed, the current government's transport
policies for county Meath can only be commended". As
their "transport policies" do not include the immediate
re-opening of the railway, this statement is highly
questionable.
I, and others like me (as mentioned by your writer), are
not against the M3 only against that tiny section that
runs through the Gabhra Valley and, despite your writer's
views, I do not believe that Meath residents want the
destruction of the Valley either. However, with the
current concerns about carbon emissions, peak oil and
global warming the wisdom of building motorways, thus
pushing people into cars and giving them no alternatives,
is questionable. Why was the western route not chosen? It
is shorter, cheaper and could also service Trim. Why does
the present route meander into the Gabhra Valley at all?
There is a definite "bump" in the route that drives it
unnecessarily through the Valley.
Meath, like Kildare, deserves the best transport system
possible. Is the best system a motorway, tolled twice for
a period of 40 years and leading faster to the M50
traffic jam? People deserve what we have in Maynooth - a
railway line. Indeed there is an ever-increasing number
of Meath people (outsiders) coming to Maynooth to avail
of this public facility.
The only professional survey carried out on this issue
was by RedC and this showed quite clearly that three out
of four people do not want the motorway to be routed
through the Valley. Just because we have had appeals and
hearings does not mean that the right choice has been
made. Tara and its extended landscape is a site of world
significance and as such its imminent destruction is of
concern to anyone who is concerned with heritage and
particularly to those of us who teach Celtic Studies.
Tara does not belong to the people of Meath. The
"generations to come" referred to by your writer will
look back and curse our blind and wilful destruction.
Finally, I do not accept the writer's contention that
"democratic processes" led to the M3. There was nothing
democratic about the "process" and the views of experts
were ignored along with objections of thousands of
others.
Yours,
DR. MUIREANN NÍ
BHROLCHÁIN,
School of Celtic Studies,
National University of Ireland,
Maynooth,
Co Kildare.
© The Meath Chronicle, Saturday, November 18th.
2006.
