Press Release. Campaign to Save Tara,
7th. May 2007, 17:20.

Campaign calls for full excavation
- of Lismullin/Rath Lugh area

Following the discovery of an unknown and un-flagged National Monument on the route of the M3 the Campaign to Save Tara is now calling on the NRA and the Minister for the Environment to fully excavate the area between Lismullin and Rath Lugh. The fact that the huge henge of Lismullin remained undiscovered and unidentified by geophysical surveys and test-trenching means that the NRA's archaeological surveys and test-trenching results are highly suspect.

When test-trenching was carried out in 2004 the whole corridor was not examined. The trenches were cut at regular intervals along the route but the intervening areas remain untouched. Given that a completely new site has been uncovered in the Collierstown area (as revealed by the Sunday World, 6th. May 2007 with aerial photograph) there are probably other sites that remain to be discovered.

The Campaign is also asking that the whole motorway corridor now be examined in advance of the beginning of construction and also that the top soil taken from the existing sites, now lying in huge spoil heaps also be examined by hand as demanded by best archaeological practice. The Campaign to Save Tara is also seeking independent advice as to whether the National monument found at Lismullin has been damaged by the use of heavy earth moving equipment in contravention of best archaeological practice.

ENDS

Media queries:
Dr. Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin
Tel: 087-9249510
Michael Canney
Tel: 086-8528200
E-Mail: info@savetara.com
Web site: http://www.savetara.com