Worldwide Scholars Petition Irish Govt to Stop Tara/Skryne M3 Motorway

meath | environment | news report Tuesday April 19, 2005 23:18 by redjade

{ photos by redjade } ©

Recieved by Ciaran Cuffe TD, Green Party

http://taraskryne.org

A statement addressed to the Government by scholars worldwide concerned about the construction of a motorway through the Tara/Skryne Valley.

The following statement is an expression of the worldwide concern about the routing of the M3 through the Tara/Skryne Valley. It stresses the importance of the landscape and the negative impression of Ireland likely to ensue from a decision to build the motorway through this landscape:

‘Over the past number of years the debate regarding the routing of part?of the M3 motorway through the Tara/Skryne Valley has concentrated on archaeological, economic and traffic considerations. As teachers and researchers of various disciplines including Celtic Studies, Irish History, Irish Literature, Historical Geography, Theology, Linguistics, Archaeology and Anthropology we feel compelled at this stage to widen the discussion beyond archaeological considerations. The weight of anthropological, archaeological, historical and literary evidence proves that Tara is a site of special significance and of international importance from early history to the present. Indeed this was acknowledged by two Taoisigh, Eamon De Valera who visited the Hill of Tara when excavations were undertaken there in the 1950s and Charles Haughey when he initiated the Discovery Programme in the early 1990s. The flagship project of the state-funded Discovery Programme since then has been the Tara Projectundertaken by scholars such as Edel Bhreathnach and Conor Newman. The existence of a wider landscape beyond the Hill of Tara can be clearly deduced from Ireland’s extensive medieval historical and literary sources. To deny this wider definition of Tara amounts either to ignorance or wilful misinformation.??We ask the Government to pose the question: is it an enlightened decision?to knowingly take this landscape - the premier landscape within Ireland ?since the Neolithic period - and cut a motorway through it? How can it be?justified in what is now one of the richest countries in Europe that such a?sensitive landscape is destroyed rather than subjected to proper landscape?management that would change it into an economic asset - as has been done?with the comparable landscape of the Boyne Valley? If the motorway is?constructed as currently planned, what does that say to the world about the?cultural sensitivity of the Government???We appeal to the Government to take an enlightened step and reverse the decision to route the M3 through the Tara/Skryne Valley. In a cultural context, such a move would demonstrate to the world Ireland's mature approach towards balancing necessary infrastructural development with the preservation of its valuable heritage.’??
Signed,

Lindsay Allason-Jones, Director of Archaeological Museums and Reader in Roman Material Culture at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Dr Barbara Regine Armbruster, CNRS, Université de Toulouse le Mirail, France
Professor Martin Biddle F.B.A., Medieval Archaeology, Hertford College, Oxford, England
Dr Grigory Bondarenko, Institute of World History, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Dr Jacqueline Borsje, Celtic Studies Research Institute for History and Culture,
University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
Dr Angela Bourke, Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge, UCD
Dr Robert Boyce, Dept of International History, London School of Economics, England
Dr Damian Bracken, Dept of Early Irish History, UCC
John Bradley, Dept of Modern History, NUIM
Professor Dr Dorothy Ann Bray, Dept of English, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Dr Edel Bhreathnach, Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute, UCD
Professor Richard Bradley FBA, Dept of Archaeology, University of Reading, England
Dr Caoimhín Breatnach, Dept of Modern Irish, UCD
Professor Pádraig A. Breatnach, Professor of Classical Irish, Dept of Modern Irish,
UCD
Dr Lise Bakke Brondho, Administrative Head of Studies at the Dept of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, University of Oslo, Norway
Professor Finbarr Bradley, Dept of Economics, NUIM
Dr Aidan Breen, Research Fellow, Monasticon Hibernicum Project, NUIM
Professor Mairéad Browne, Emeritus Professor, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
Abigail Burnyeat, Ceiltis agus Eòlas na h-Alba / Celtic and Scottish Studies, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann / University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Dr Cornelius Buttimer, Irish Dept, UCC
Dr Cyril J. Byrne, C.M. Co-ordinator of Irish Studies, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Dr Marian Campbell, Dept of Metalwork, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England
Professor Nicholas Canny, Academic Director, Centre for the Study of Human Settlement & Historic Change, NUIG
Dr Ewan Campbell, Senior Lecturer, Dept of Archaeology, University of Glasgow, Scotland
Professor Thomas Charles-Edwards, Jesus Professor of Celtic Language and Literature, University of Oxford, England
Dr Nina Chehonadskaya, Moscow State University, Faculty of History, Dept of Ancient Languages, Russia
Professor Howard Clarke, School of History, UCD
Dr Michael Clarke, Dept of Classics, NUIM
Dr Ann Coakley, Dept of Sociology, NUIM
Dr Elizabeth Coatsworth, Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and
Design, Manchester Metropolitan University, England
Dr Mary Condren, Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies, TCD
Professor Kathryn Conrad, Associate Professor of English, University of Kansas, USA
Dr Mary Corcoran, Dept of Sociology, NUIM
Dr Laurence Cox, Dept of Sociology, NUIM
Professor Raymond Cormier, Visiting Professor of French, Longwood University, USA
Professor Michael Cronin, Director, Centre for Translation and Textual Studies, Dublin City University
Professor Barry Cunliffe, Professor of European Archaeology, University of Oxford, Institute of Archaeology, England
Bernadette Cunningham, Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute, UCD
Professor Ceri Davies, Dept of Classics, Ancient History and Egyptology, University of Wales, Swansea, Wales
Dr David Denby, Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, Dublin City University
Dr Gwendal Denis, Head of Dept of Breton, University of Rennes, France
Dr Peter Denman, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, NUIM
Dr Ranke de Vries, Dept of Celtic Studies, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
Dr Hazel Dodge FSA, Louis Claude Purser Senior Lecturer in Classical Archaeology, School of Classics, TCD
Dr Charles Doherty, School of History, UCD
Brian Donovan, Eneclann Ltd/Archive CD Books Ireland
Professor Ann Dooley, University of Toronto, Canada
Dr Linda Doran, Member, Group for the Study of Irish Historical Settlement
Mr. Bill Doran, Member, Group for the Study of Irish Historical Settlement
Professor Doris Edel, Professor Emeritus, Celtic Language and Civilisation, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
Professor Susan Downey, Professor of Art History, Member, Archaeology
Program, UCLA, USA
Dr Stephen T. Driscoll, Senior Lecturer, Dept of Archaeology, Glasgow University, Scotland
Dr Nancy Edwards, Dept of History and Welsh, University of Wales, Bangor, Wales
Dr David Edwards, Dept of History, UCC
Dr Huw M Edwards, Adran y Gymraeg / Dept of Welsh, University of
Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales
Dr Colmán Etchingham, Dept of History, NUIM
Dr Nicholas Evans, School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Dr Alexander Falileyev, The Ancient Celtic Place-Names of Europe and Asia Minor Project, Dept of Welsh, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales
Joe Fenwick, Dept of Archaeology, NUIG
Professor Eric Fernie, President, Society of Antiquaries of London, England
Dr Thomas Finan, Director of The Center for International Education, Webster University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
Dr Joanne Findon, Dept of English Literature, Trent University, Canada
Dr Marie-Therese Flanagan, School of History, Queen’s University, Belfast
Geraldine Fogarty, University of Toronto, Canada
Dr Katherine Forsyth, Dept of Celtic, University of Glasgow, Scotland
Professor Roy Foster, Carroll Professor of Irish History, University of Oxford
Dr James E. Fraser, Lecturer in Early Scottish History and Culture, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Dr Barbara Freitag, School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, DCU
Associate Professor Helen Fulton, Dept of English, Pro-Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Dr Anna Gannon, University of Cambridge, England
Dr Inge Genee, Celtic Studies, Dept of Modern Languages, University of Lethbridge, Canada
Dr Raymond Gillespie, Dept of History, NUIM
Dr Angie Gleason, Celtic Studies/Medieval History, TCD
Nick Griffiths FSA, Wilton, England
Professor J.J. Lee, Glucksman Ireland House, New York University, New York, USA
Giselle Gos, University of Toronto, Canada
Professor Jean-Paul Guillaumet, Directeur de Recherche, CNRS, Dijon, France
Dr Anne Haour, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, Tutor for Archaeology & Anthropology, Hertford College, Oxford, England
Dr Niamh Hardiman. IRCHSS Government of Ireland Senior Fellow, Governance Research Programme, Institute for the Study of Social Change (ISSC), Politics Dept, UCD
Dr Anthony Harvey, Royal Irish Academy, Dublin
Mr Andrew Hawke, University of Wales Dictionary of the Welsh Language, Aberystwyth, Wales
Dr Jane Hawkes, Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, England
Dr Marged Haycock, Reader, Dept Welsh, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales
Dr Deana Heath, Dept of Modern History, TCD
Dr Máire Herbert, Roinn na Sean agus na Meán-Ghaeilge, UCC
Professor Michael Herren, Celtic Studies/Centre for Medieval Studies, University
of Toronto, Canada
Professor Ronald Hicks, Professor of Anthropology, Ball University, Indiana, USA
Dr Roisín Higgins, Humanities Institute of Ireland, Belfield, UCD
Dr Richard Hobbs, Curator of Romano-British Collections, The British Museum, London, England
Dr Rijcklof Hofman, Project Moderne Devotie, Tutus Brandsma Instituut, The Netherlands
Dr Martin Holland, Dublin
R.E. Hutton, Historical Studies, Bristol University, England
Kicki Ingridsdotter, Celtic Section, Uppsala University, Sweden
Aideen Ireland FRSAI, FSA, President, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland
Edward F. James, Professor of Medieval History, UCD
Dr Bart Jaski, Celtic Studies, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
Máire Johnson, University of Toronto,
Dr Elva Johnston, School of History, UCD
Professor Catherine Karkov, Dept of Art, Miami University, Ohio, USA
Professor Fergus Kelly, School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Dr Patricia Kelly, Dean, Faculty of Celtic Studies, UCD
Professor S. D. Keynes, Dept of Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic, Faculty of English, Trinity College, Cambridge, England
Birthe Kjolbye-Biddle, Winchester Research Unit, Oxford, England
Professor José Lanters, Dept of English, Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
Dr Angela Leahy, School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, DCU
Dr Kevin Leahy, FSA, North Lincolnshire, England
Dr Brigitte Le Juez, Senior Lecturer in the School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, DCU
Dr Marion Loeffler, Canolfan Uwchefrydiau Cymreig a Cheltaidd / Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales
Dr Magorzata Krasnodêbska-D’Aughton, Míchéal Ó Cléirigh Institute, UCD
Professor Pierre-Yves Lambert, Researcher in Celtic Studies (CNRS), Professor of Celtic Philology (EPHE, Paris), Paris, France
Simon Lambrecht, Roinn na Sean agus na Meán-Ghaeilge, UCC
Dr Gary Lock, Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford, England
An tOllamh Mícheál Mac Craith, Ollamh le Nua-Ghaeilge, Scoil na Gaeilge, NUIG
Dr Séamus Mac Gabhann, Dept of English, NUIM
Dr Arthur MacGregor, Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, England
Professor Séamus Mac Mathúna, University of Ulster, Coleraine
Dr Ailbhe Mac Samhráin, Research Fellow, Monasticon Hibernicum Project, NUIM
Gerald Manning, Dept of Early and Medieval Irish, UCD
Gilbert Markus, Dept of Celtic, University of Glasgow, Scotland
Dr Sonja Marzinzik, Medieval & Renaissance Gallery Project, Victoria & Albert Museum, England
Francanko Matasovic, Dept of Linguistics, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Anna Matheson, University of Toronto,
Dr Chandana Mathur, Dept of Anthropology, NUIM
Carmel McCaffrey, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Dr John McCafferty, Director, Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute, Arts Faculty, UCD
Dr Brendan McConvery C.Ss.R., Dean of the Faculty of Theology, St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth
Dr Aine McGillicuddy, School of Applied Language & Intercultural Studies, DCU
Professor Neil McLeod, Murdoch University, Australia
Roisin McLaughlin, School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Dr Bernard Meehan, Trinity College Library, TCD
Professor Daniel Melia, Celtic Studies, University of California, Berkeley, USA
Dr Tatyana Mikhailova, Faculty of Philology, Dept of Germanic and Celtic Philology, Moscow State University, Russia
Professor Brent Miles, University of Toronto, Canada
Connell Monette, University of Toronto, Canada
Dr Kevin Murray, Roinn na Sean-Ghaeilge, UCC
Professor Joseph F. Nagy, Dept of English, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
Robin Netherton, Editor, Medieval Clothing & Textiles, USA
Professor Carol Neuman de Vegvar FSA, Ohio Wesleyan University, USA
Dr Máire Ní Annracháin, Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge, NUIM
Dr Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin, Celtic Studies, NUIM
An t-Ollamh Próinséas Ní Chatháin, Ollamh Emeritus, Roinn na Sean-Ghaeilge, UCD
Dr Máire Ni Chíosáin, Dept of Linguistics, UCD
Dr Máirín Nic Eoin, Roinn na Gaeilge, Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach
Professor Máirín Nic Dhiarmada, University of Toronto, Canada
Dr Aisling Ní Dhonnchadha, Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge, NUIM
Professor Máirín Ní Dhonnchadha, Dept of Old and Middle Irish, NUIG
Dr Jenifer Ní Ghradaigh, School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Dr Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Dept Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic, University of Cambridge, England
Dr Máire Ní Neachtain, Roinn na Gaeilge, Coláiste Mhuire gan Smál, Ollscoil Luimnigh.
Dr Meidhbhín Ní Úrdail, Dept of Modern Irish, UCD
Conor Newman, Dept of Archaeology, NUIG
Dr Feargal Ó Béarra, Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, NUIG
Professor Breandán Ó Buachalla, Professor of Irish Language and Literature, Keough Institute for Irish Studies, University of Notre Dame, USA
Dr Maeve O’Brien, Dept of Classics, NUIM
Dr Emmett O’Byrne, Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute, UCD
Dr Tomás Ó Carragán, Dept of Archaeology, UCC
Professor Tomás Ó Cathasaigh, Henry L. Shattuck Professor of Irish Studies, Harvard University, USA
Professor Eamonn Ó Carragáin MRIA, Dept of English, UCC
An tOllamh Séamus Ó Cinnéide, Centre for Applied Social Studies, NUIM
Dr Breandán Ó Cíobháin, An Foras Duibhneach, Ceann Trá, Co. Chiarraí
Dr Eamon Ó Cíosáin, Dept of French, NUIM
Dr Colmán Ó Clabaigh OSB, Míchéal Ó Cléirigh Institute, UCD & Glenstal Abbey, Limerick
Dr Kieran O'Conor, Dept of Archaeology, NUIG
Professor Donncha Ó Corráin, Dept of Early Irish History, UCC
Professor Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, Dept of Early Irish History, NUIG
Dr Conchobhar Ó Crualaoich, Bráinse na Logainmneacha
Dr Brian Ó Curnáin, Scoil an Léinn Cheiltigh, Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath
Dr Pól Ó Dochartaigh, Roinn na Gearmáinise, Ollscoil Uladh, Cúil Rathain, Doire
Dr Tadhg Ó Dúshláine, Roinn na Nua Ghaeilge, NUIM
Michael O'Hanrahan, President, Group for the Study of Irish Historical Settlement
Dr Uaininn O'Meadhra, Swedish Church Graffitti Project, Stockholm
Dr Diarmuid Ó Sé, Dept of Modern Irish, UCD
Dr Gale R. Owen-Crocker, School of Arts, Histories and Cultures, The University of Manchester, England
Professor Mike Parker Pearson, Dept of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, England
Dr Aileen Pearson-Evans, School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, DCU
Alicia Perea, Dpto de Prehistoria, I.H, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
Professor J.-M. Picard, Faculty of Arts, UCD
Michael Pinder, School of Design, The Manchester Metropolitan University, England
Dominic Powlesland, Director, The Landscape Research Centre, Yorkshire, England
Professor Huw Pryce, Dept of History and Welsh History, University of Wales, Bangor, Wales
Professor Julian D Richards, Co-Director, Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, Engand
Professor Jane Roberts, Professor Emeritus, Institute of English Studies, University of London, England
Dr Simon Rodway, Dept of Welsh and Celtic Studies, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales
Dr Jenny Rowland, Faculty of Celtic Studies, UCD
Professor Roger Stalley, Dept of Art History, TCD
Professor Nancy Stenson, Dept of Linguistics, University of Minnesota, USA
Professor R D Stevick, Professor Emeritus, University of Washington, USA
Dr Domhnall Uilleam Stiubhart, Ceiltis agus Eòlas na h-Alba / Celtic and Scottish Studies, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann / University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Dr Gudrun Sveinbjarnardottir, Project Manager, Reykholt Excavations, National Museum of Iceland, Iceland
Dr John Sheehan, Senior Lecturer, Archaeology Dept, UCC
Dr Alfred Siewers, English Faculty, Bucknell University, USA
Dr Lauran Toorians, Celtic Studies/Publicist, Loon op Zand, The Neatherlands
Dr Jürgen Uhlich, School of Irish, TCD
Dr Mary Valente, Appalachian State University, USA & Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Professor John Waddell, Dept of Archaeology, NUIG
Professor Geoffrey Wainwright MBE FSA, Chairman Wessex Archaeology
Dr Jane C. Waldbaum, President, Archaeological Institute of America, Dept of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA
Dr Martin Welch FSA, London, England
Dr Niamh Whitfield, FSA, London, England
Professor Gruffydd Aled Williams, Dept of Welsh and Celtic Studies, University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Sir David M Wilson, Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin
Susan Youngs, School of Archaeology University of Oxford, England

Recieved by Joe Higgins TD, Socialist Party