Motorway works at Tara
Madam, - I was very disappointed to read in last Friday's
Irish Times that the Minister for the Environment,
Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley, declared
himself satisfied that the National Roads Authority
proposals, if implemented, would result in the protection
of the monument at Rath Lugh.
This is not so as the monument and its environment have
already been mutilated by work carried out on the
proposed route of the motorway.
Rath Lugh and its environment is an integral part of the
Tara archaeological and cultural complex. Its environment
includes the significant Gabhra Valley to the west
towards the Hill of Tara. The latter area is now reduced
to a strip of rubble as a result of work carried out by
and with the authority of the present Government of which
Mr. Gormley is a member. Furthermore, Rath Lugh is now
divorced from the archaeological complex of which it
formed a part from its construction many centuries
ago.
As a result of the destruction, which I witnessed a
couple of days ago, a "new" environment has now emerged,
the personality of the area is being destroyed.
Standing on Rath Lugh and looking across the Gabhra
Valley the main feature of that area is now the
equivalent of a "race track" with heavy machinery driving
up and down at considerable speed and creating vibrations
which can be felt on Rath Lugh.
In the area that I visited three lines of defence were in
place.
The outermost is a spiked iron fence up to eight feet in
height and secured in concrete, next came security
personnel and further inwards were members of the Garda
Síochána.
For me, this was an intimidating experience and one that
I never expected to see in order to facilitate the
destruction, by our own Government, of a key portion of
our own great archaeological inheritance.
- Yours, etc,
George Eogan,
Brighton Road,
Rathgar,
Dublin.
© The Irish Times, 26th. March 2008.
Related Articles:
George
Eoghan interviewed on "The Right Hook". (Audio)
George Eoghan interview at Rath Lugh.
(Video)
