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 Thursday July 19, 2007 23:07 by Terri Dale - Save the Hill of Tara
 Gardai direct traffic and arrest protestors
How legal is this?
While an MEP explains the doubtful legality of the construction work taking place at Tara, Revolt Video get the workers on film, engaging in activities of even more doubtful legality. The guardians of the peace wade in and arrest 7 protestors, including a professor of specializing in Medieval Irish Studies at the University of Maynooth who had presented them with a letter from the EU commission.
As a rumoured additional 20 diggers are told to be arriving onsite, the public step up their protest in protecting Soldier Hill, attracting the likes of University Professors, International delegates on Tourism and EU Member of Parliaments to rush to the scene in aid of the protest.
By 12:30pm at least 5 people were arrested for obstructing the construction, including Muirfeann Ni Bhrolchain, a Professor specializing in Medieval Irish Studies at the University of Maynooth. She had arrived on site with copies of a letter from the EU Commission, proving that "the European Court of Justice has recognised the decisions to approve project may unfold in more thant one stage and that it may be inappropriate to limit the possibility of EIA to an early stage as as new circumstances and new factors may arise at the time of a second stage decision" and that in the discovery of LIsmullin, " the National Monuments Act, 2004 makes no provision for (second stage) EIA in relation to decisions allowing for destruction of national monuments that were unknown at the time of a first - stage EIA."
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Comments (96 of 96)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96These men in video abusing protesters are not garda but construction workers.
link:
http://www.livevideo.com/video/9DE53165CA164E20A99F2B1B...62651
Protesters arrested after clash at Tara route site (irish times)
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2007/0719/1184....html
Four jailed over Tara protest (rte)
http://rte.ie/news/2007/0718/tara.html
includes vid footage
Physical abuse of protesters by privately hired mercenary armies ( like the "security men" employed by SIAC/Eurolink or at Rossport) and by uniformed government thugs will not stop until people start fighting back against the tyranny of our own government in the same manner as our brave ancestors who built and populated Tara fought against tyrants and invaders. The time is almost up for the "Mr. Niceguy approach"!
I want to commend the People who spent the day up to their eyes in mud and some in custody
until they made bail. Maybe someone can look at those Bail conditions. The four in
Cloverhill and the three bailees will have a Wednesday morning hearing and would like
support. They have been named elsewhere.
The Vigil who have faced abuse of the nailed plank and hair -tearing variety
would probably require a bit of soup and some mobile credit. They are O.K, some
were at another part of the protest. One of the guys in Jail is 70 and the other has a leg
wound from being abused a few weeks ago, he needs medical attention. This would
probably be available through the prison services but maybe someone from the
political left or TD's could visit and ensure that the person injured is getting medical
treatment.
Thanks Lads for the months of vigil in severe conditions.
How ironic is this. For months we have had to read tirades of abusive comment from the members of Tarawatch about how this issue has to go through the courts and how no one will support them or have scuppered their efforts.
And what happens. When the going gets though.......... Seven members/individuals/persons affiliated /associated with Campaign to Save Tara end up in court for defending Tara. Not one amongst those arrested is a member of Tarawatch
And where were Tarawatch?
At RTE and the Irish Times claiming credit for it all....!!!
I have finally made my mind up.
Tarawatch you are a bunch of bull-shit artists - probably, very probably, riddled with NRA/pro-M3 agents.
I won't say well done, because no law abiding citizen sets out to be arrested/break the law, and I sincerely believe none of those arrested had it in their minds to do so yesterday, but they stood their ground and now face the consequences.
I do not believe any of these individuals broke any law. They were standing up to the NRA/Eurolink on foot of Minister Dick Roche's directions to the construction Company, which state that all work "in the vicinity" of Lismullin must cease.
These are strong willed, principled individuals who deserve our admiration and thanks.
All those who put their lives forward for the sake of saving Tara certainly deserve our utmost admiration and cheers. Thank you all, you will be rememberd with dignity. They did so selflessly knowing the consequences of their actions. Christ knows, Tara may perish, but we will be a continous thorn in the bastards side. None of this will fuckking die long after Tara is buried beneath a McDonald carpark. For decades after this we'll be taking names of the sell outs fiannia fail, greens, corporate donors,dick roach/NRA and the british companies who are sponsoring a symbol of their patriarchy on the sovernreign hill of ancient Gaelic kingdom and sueing the fuckers of this insidous crime!
Just a note on the video footage -
where possible always try to get CLOSE-UPS of the individuals involved.
We need to see the faces of all the bully-boys.
Muireann Ni Bhrolchain works in Celtic Studies and not archaeology. Just for accuracy.
Fair play Mick from Navan.
Coming down from the North (Newry direction) What is the quickest way to the protest?
thanks Nick for the correction I had a feeling her title wasnt quite right, glad to make it accurate out of respect. if there is anything else that is not please feel free to let us know
The seven people charged on Wednesday will have a hearing in Navan on
Wednesday week. Please come and support the remaining vigil and those
who are incarcerated and Bailed (under stringent conditions).
The four men incarcerated could do with a visit, the authorities at Cloverhill
can be called (will add in numbers).
Please contact by Mail/writing the TD's for the area and the Minister of the Environment.
(Gormley).
Send messages of support to http://www.savetara.com and be aware that they
are under legal advice not to speak until after the hearings.
&7 citizens of this State are facing charges for peaceful protest, they deserve
our support.
Peace!
[When details of hearing times are avail. will publish here]
Hearing time 10.30am in Navan Courthouse on Wednesday 25th July. It will be postponed - it will run to September and probably much longer.
Media presence and supporters required.
Courthouse in off the Square in Navan across the road from the Shopping Centre (owned by the notorious Cathal McCarthy).
Those on bail are under stringent bail conditions -
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individu...02889
.
.
This is time for people to complain to the gardai about abuse of campaIgners by the
contractors at Tara.
Picket the Local FF shithead who is pushing this.
Machinery at Soldiers Hill is now working at building a compound.
The monster digger (photo anyone?) is ploughing straight for the henge.
The supposed 500m exclusion zone around the henge is defined
as a 500m circle measured from the center of the 80m henge.
The digger is expected to keep going until it is about 211m from the perimeter.
No-one on the ground can stop this machine. Call your MEP, TD, reporters.
Call the Vigil on 086-1758557 and see if you can do anything at all.
There are also machines moving back onto Collierstown, but those are
being held off.
Urgent help needed - so what's new?!
Can somebody please put captions on these pictures. What is happening? Are these people doing the manhandling Gardai / trained security officers or NRA / Sisk employees? They dont look uniformed. Security officers belong to a national organisation with codes of practice which would prevent such behaviour.
Is the Save Tara group adressing the illegalities through the courts?
This is Wood Quay all over again.
Where the hell is our Government?
The men in the stills are not Garda but Construction Workers.
Complaints to Gormley:-
http://www.minister@environ.ie
Messages of support :-
http://www.savetara.com
Navan District Court on :-
Wednesday morning 25/7/7 @ 10.30pm
*Please women campaigners:- This image of a female campaigner being
physically harassed by 5-6 men , please make a statment asap.
The unacceptable treatment of campaigners and refusal of the responsible TD's/Ministers to
halt works has led to the reckless endangerment of campaigners and the criminalisation
of members of the public.
when contacting gormley please send the links of this article. still welcome
too.
Well then my I respectfully suggest that the victims write directly to the Health And Safety Authority lodging an immediate complaint and enclosing photographs. Copy this complaint to the Sisk Health and Safety Manager.
Under the Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989, Sisk is responsibe for the Health and Safety of every visitor to that construction site including protesters. If a person is hurt it is Sisk that will be sued. As a contractor, SISK has legal responsibilities related to health and safety, some of which are articulated on their own web page as follows:
http://www.sisk.ie/sisk/sisk/www/default.asp?magpage=29...wid=2
This is a very serious safety situation. The protesters have no protective clothing. Heavy machinery is working in close proximity. Individuals are being manhandled by people untrained in security matters. Somebody will get hurt.
There is legislation in place to protect against this. All workplaces including construction sites are obliged to follow these strict rules.
Does Save Tara have a solicitor?
Correction to the above.
The companies to complain to the HSA about are SIAC and Cintra(spanish) the two construction companies in the consortium. Apologies to Sisk who are not involved.
Remember to cc the Health And Safety Managers of both companies.
sorry u are wrong, H&S rules do not apply to individulas who enter a site illegally, if this was the case every burglar in the country could use the place they are robbing if they hurt themselves.
The construction company is responsible for visitors and authorisied people on site not illegal entrants
I agree. The strategy should be to focus on Siac and their obligations to the safety of the protesters. By rights Siac should down tools until the NRA ensures that protesters are no longer coming into the site. That would stop the works until the NRA had gone through the courts with the protesters.
This photographer approached the protests from the Garlow Cross side and took these and the following shots.
View from Garlow Cross towards Tara
View again
Approaching interchange site at Tara
Huge machinery on Tara
Machinery on Lismullin side of the N3
Correction to Lola
No, check with a lawyer - I am right.
There is a huge difference between a construction site and a domestic house. A construction site is a place of work and the Health and Safety at Work act applies to it. If any visitor has an accident on a construction site the contractor is responsibe. They accept all of that responsibility in their contract with the NRA.
Of course they will claim that their was contributary negligance on behalf of the protester who was there illegally. However as these photos show, the contractor has not used best practice in his methods of removing the protesters. So if that woman in the picture is traumatised or physically hurt by her experience then there is a strong legal argument that Siac should have prevented it happening on their site.
One of the obligations of a contractor is to secure the site against entry by persons who could have an accident on the site. This has clearly not happened here if people can get in and lie in front of machines. Another obligation concerns the safe management of visitors on the site. Using labourers and engineers as untrained security personnel is clearly not best practice.
Save Tara needs to start getting clever with the legal tools at its disposal. The health and safety legislation is one such rule. If the contractor is forced to provide trained security officers and full scale fencing then this contract will very soon get into trouble financially.
Make the complaint to the HSA and use this line also in the defence of the arrested people where appropriate.
lola
u are still wrong- the protestors are not visitors they are tresspassers and there illegally, any construction site has notices and requirements to go to the site office before entry to the site so H&S will not apply to these people however the manhandling by the workers can be tackled with through assault charges etc and suing the company in this regards.
I am just trying to point you in the right direction, the protestors will get nowhere with H&S as they entered the site illegally but the workers have no legal right to touch anybody, to remove the protestors legally would require a court order
The scene at the interchange
Banners on Tara side
Digging Tara
Machinery stuck
More work at Tara
And more work
A protester being taken off site by the workers, another at a machine and another yet on a digger
Being carried off
Close up of carrying off
Female protester being carried off
Protester at machinery
Protester at a digger
You don't get it do you?
There is a mountain of progress to be made through putting pressure on Siac. They are currently in the very exposed position of being the only stakeholder dealing with the protesters. The NRA and the Department of Transport are hiding in the wings.
Siac as the contractor did not and could not forsee the archaeology that would be found and associated measures/ costs including security of the site. They are now in a situation that is outside the terms of the contract that they signed. If this is making more money for them they will be happy, but I suspect it is not so lucerative due to the fact that all new contracts are fixed price and it is likely that the protester / archaeology risk was bought out.
In their contract they are OBLIGED to make the site secure against trespassers - signs alone are not enough. Even if a protester breaks in it is still a working area and the Health and Safety Authority has a role because of that.
I guarantee you if a protester was killed by a machine, SIAC would be sucessfully sued and the HSA would be investing the site. So dont wait for that to happen - get people thinking Health and Safety now.
There is loads of preceedence for this including cases where itinerants picking recyclables illegally from waste dumps have successfully sued local authorities when they were injured. Another case was teenagers who broke into an ESB substation and one was electrocuted. Siac is responsible here for all visitors and signs do not absolve that responsibility.
Usual trick, the trucks stop in the middle of the road.
The traffic backs up.
Company blames the protesters.
Drivers get angry
Company stops traffic on the other side of the road to let the blocked traffic by and commuters get even angrier at protesters.
Gardaí do nothing about that and arrest peaceful protesters
Scene of mayhem on N3
Traffic coming from Dublin side stopped by machines
Traffic from Navan side
There is a lot to be gained by using the roadblock to canvass the car users. A leaflet explaining the crime to our heritage, the campaign and the way the protesters are being abused would be good. Lola is right aBout complaining to the HSA. Protesters need to reclaim the high moral ground.
good man Roger C from North, come down and bring your friends.
Get to Navan Town and just head south on the N3 for Dublin.
If you get lost dont ask a Garda for directions, ask a hostile construction worker, they seem to be in charge.
All welcome to protect our cultural heritage, ACT NOW
The seven people charged on Wednesday will have a hearing in Navan on
Wednesday week. Please come and support the remaining vigil and those
who are incarcerated and Bailed (under stringent conditions).
The four men incarcerated could do with a visit, the authorities at Cloverhill
can be called .
...............................
I have just been updated by one of the three women on bail who told me that herself and others from the Tara Vigil Camp have visited the Tara Four in Cloverhill Prison, today.
The men are in good spirits, sharing the same cell which is fitted with two sets of bunk beds and a TV, so are keeping themselves updated! Plus they have photo's of Tara and other sites around the walls.
According to themselves the prison staff are treating them well and so the lads say that they are willing to remain there for as long as necessary.
Thank you.
It is a absolute disgrace that the Fianna Fail/Green Party government are imprisoning Tara protestors to force through their roadway of 'cultural destruction'. Solidarity greetings to all the four individuals who are imprisoned at the moment and to those that are manning the barricades and doing their best to protect our heritage.
In every indepent survey taken on the M3 route between 67 and 82% of the electorate wanted a reroute. Hopefully many of those ordinary people will show up tomorrow. Many individuals and few groups have campaigned to save Tara, if public inertia ensues then this can only be put down to the fact that the majority of the Irish nation have become slaves to the Celtic Tiger and dont have the time rather than the will.
I find it quite alarming and confusing that the Minister was interviewed yesterday in response to these events- and that apparently he's 'getting annoyed' now at the inconvenience of the protests and what it stands for, and that finally as he speaks out, he tells us the reason why he won't stop the progression is because the decision had been made long ago by the previous Minister to go ahead so therefore he can't do anything about it.
WHAT A LOAD OF COMPLETE BOLLOCKS.
Does he mean to tell us that EVEN since learning of new heritage on the site in which by the EU states cannot continue unless resolved (as they are in the courts,) that he has decided to fob it off in leu of doing what is right, because its too much of a pain in the arse to have that decision changed? He's the Minister for God's sake - he's not under the thumb of those past in charge, and besides, new developments have occured since which must be looked at. Why is this being deliberately ignored?
Just sounds like to me its too hard to remove that brown envelope from his back pocket.
Everything Minister Gormley say is complete road of borrocks.
Politician who run in front of car get tyred! - soon see.
what did anyone expect? that the greens might actually make a difference? There too happy just to be in government to actually care about our countrys heritege and environment. It has been proven that going through politicians and courts is a waste of time and is making no difference.
So what to do? We need to go further and stop this by all means. We as a people cannot afford to let Tara "fall". If they're allowed to continue what historical site will be next? This must be where we show everyone how much we are willing to fight, to do all we must to defend this seat of kings.
Hi,
Here are some pics from the march. I think it went well and walking around the city centre afterwards a lot of people were talking about it and reading the leaflets rather than discarding them. I think a lot of people do care but most are too busy to actually do something about it. I have visited hundreds fof sites around Ireland as a hobby and Tara is by far the most impressive and magical. What I woudl say to people is to go and visit the hill and see what the campaigners are trying to protect. Then you will actually be compelled to do something.
As for Gormley comments well he simply wiont reverse that decision as that was most likely involved in him getting to where he is. He damn well can reverse it but is using the fact that Roche made it as his excuse. I didn't vote for those useless turds and never will.
I used to live on Aughrim Street in Stoneybatter and a few years ago a few of us were thinking of trying to organise a walk from Dublin, crossing the river liffey, walking up Stoneybatter, up Aughrim street on up to Tara. This is the old route,
Slige Midluachra, that led through Tara and crossed Dublin (Baile Atha Cliath: Ford of the hurdles) and is quite a do-able walk, about 20 miles. Perhaps we could organise this walk now that there is more interest.
related info
Stoneybatter
In the second century a 'royal road', one of the five great roads of Ireland, stretched from Tara in Meath to Glendalough in Wicklow, crossing the river Liffey at the Ford of the Hurdles (near the present-day Church Street Bridge). This road was known in Gaelic as Bothar-na-gCloch, or 'Road of the Stones' and was subsequently changed to Stoney-Bothar and later again corrupted to 'Stoneybatter'. In the Middle Ages this name transcended its road meaning and gradually began to refer to the area covering the old Viking settlement of Oxmantown or Ostmantown (town of the man from the east).
http://www.reflectingcity.com/index.html?a=3
The derivation of the name Stoneybatter is interesting;
In the second century a 'royal road', one of the five great roads of Ireland, stretched from Tara in Meath to Glendalough in Wicklow, crossing the river Liffey at the Ford of the Hurdles (near the present-day Church Street Bridge). Since this road was paved, a rarity at the time, it was known in Gaelic as Bothar-na-gCloch, or 'Road of the Stones'. This subsequently changed to Stoney-Bothar and was later corrupted to 'Stoneybatter'.
The area's history goes back a long way, when the Manor Street of today was part of an old highway which led from Wicklow to Tara, with what is the Mulligans Pub of today being a Coach stop for travellers.
http://homepage.eircom.net/~gpurdy/stoneybatter.htm history and photos
We are told that this naming of important roads went back to the 11th century, places mattered then.
The Metrical Dindshenchas, or Lore of Places, is probably the major surviving monument of Irish bardic verse. It is a great onomastic anthology of naming legends of significant places in the Irish landscape and comprises about 176 poems in total.
The first recension is found in the twelfth-century manuscript the Book of Leinster with partial survivals in a number of other manuscript sources. The text shows signs of having been compiled from a number of provincial sources and the earliest poems date from at least the eleventh century.
The second recension survives more or less intact in thirteen different manuscripts, mostly dating from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrical_Dindshenchas
and all found now on CELT (the Corpus of Electronic Texts)
http://celt.ucc.ie/about.html
Slige Midluachra – this road ran southeast from Ulster, and passed through Tara, the seat of the High Kings of Ireland in County Meath. It crossed the Liffey at the ford of hurdles, and came to an end just south of Áth Cliath. Parts of the Slige Midluachra may still be made out in some of Dublin's modern streets: e.g. Bow Street on the north side of the city, and St Augustine Street and Francis Street on the south side.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Dublin:_Earlies...o_795
Slige Midluachra; The Royal Road from Tara over the Liffey
Dublin today, Stoneybatter: Stoney-Bothar: Road of the Stones
The Royal Road, Slige Midluachra walk, from Tara to Dublin, a view down Aughrim Street
they want to see their photos easily on the gallery and feel part of the big wide movement & say "oh! I should paint my bones with tippex or polish them with toothpaste" or "who's the cute girl with the suntan does she like Lord of the Rings?".
Let em do that for now and tell them about your cloghar bodhair trek idea - another time. ;-)
tara needs you
after a very successful 'love tara' march yesterday through the streets of dublin and a peaceful protest outside cloverhill prison afterwards where the tara four are being remanded for trying to prevent the illegal destruction of one of the most important cultural landscapes in the world we now ask for help next wednesday. there will be a rally outside the courthouse in navan a few miles from tara on wed morning next for the hearing of the seven people who were arrested last week in the battle of soldier hill 2007. support is needed to protect the valley that day so that we can go to the courthouse in solidarity with our falsely imprisioned comrades. we will be meeting on kennedy road, navan, co. meath at 9.30 wednesday morning. bring banners, music and a friend. things have escalated in the valley in the past week to the extent that arrest is threatened on anyone in the vacinity of our newly desecrated heritage trail and numbers are needed for a mass movement to try stop work. with further arrests so iminent we need replacement troops to step up in defence of the valley to highlight the illegality of meath county council's and the nra's attempts to forge a 2toll 6lane and 53 acre interchange through the valley of the kings less than 1000 paces from the top of the hill. friends from england have been travelling here for apx e50 return by bus including the bus from dublin to tara. e50 well spent. since wed the destruction contractors have plouhed a road from soldier hill to the henge, the newly declared national monument at lismullen, 'a starmap for believers' and now the machinery lies less than 100 mtrs from it ready for work monday morning. our numbers are less than 20 on a good day and we are working round the clock throughout the valley. if digger jumping isn't your thing help is needed in many forms from pot watching, fire keeping to banner making. come stand and be counted.
slan agus solas
fodhla
0861758557
we have just had a meeting and there is only 7 of us for the valley for tommorow morning. thanks. this isn't even enough to take on one digger with the enterage of hired muscle that now follows us around . we will be there regardless of your help or not. i have detained from entering cyber land for over a year now while living on the hill so haven't been aware of the phantom declarations of support till now. if youcan't make it to tara than your time would be better spent contacting mainstream media and sparking save tara debates, phoning the offices of the destruction contractors and blitzing their communication systems, helping rally more reqruits, organise a fundraiser in your area or by making a banner and posting it to us. we will gladly fly it for you. this battle isn't over yet. what good are your cyber pigeon-chestness postmortems to tara. step into the real world and stop wasting your time preaching to the converted.
Re: fodhla aris - tara defender
Sorry I cant be there tomorrow, I visited at the weekend and said how much I admired what ye are doing and trying to do. Not everyone can give up their time/jobs/life to protest, sometimes people can only give so much. This is not menat to be a negative response, only a realistic one. It depends on what is real and true and important to each individual. Thats not mine or your fault, just the way it is.
I wish the road would be diverted but i also wish the people of Ireland would wake up to the lives they are living, the consequences, the future, the sustainability and the future they imagine for their children. Life is a complex web, ye know, after the march, walkin up gardiner st, life went on unaware of what had passed, and what was at stake.
I will endeavour to come up soon, if there is anything you require that you think one man can bring, please let me know.. I'l try me best to help.
Modern Ireland has me heart broken.
God Bless
Saoirse agus gra..
Just to say, as somebody who works on a lot of sites, of all types -
from the video - the construction company is blatantly in breach of H&S legislation.
The video evidence alone is enough to have the site closed by a H&S inspector.
There is sufficient evidence of assault to warrant a police investigation and each of
the construction workers who manhandled the protesters can easily be prosecuted for assault, a very serious offence.
The site security/workers are not entitled to manhandle the protesters, only the gardaí can do that.
Don't be deterred by any claims of trespass. That is a less important matter for a court to decide.
The legislation relating to construction sites is weighted very heavily against the site-owners/management. They have by far the greatest responsibilities.
A HSA investigation is no laughing matter and the HSA people take their responsibilities very seriously.
Get a solicitor, who knows H&S legislation and next time try to improve the video quality. You need more faces.
You may not like the System but its all you've got. Use it!
This is assault - deal with it.
So why exactly is the Tara/M3 issue so important to Fianna Fail at a national/economic level?
Excerpt from yesterday's Sunday Independent.....
'With two-thirds of the industry's 290,000 workers currently engaged in the construction of houses and apartments, Mr Fogarty believes that 7.5 per cent of these could be out of work as the slowdown in the property market caused by uncertainty over stamp duty reform and successive interest rate hikes from the ECB register.
However, speaking to the Sunday Independent, Mr Fogarty stressed his belief that those workers who lose their jobs in housing construction will be absorbed into civil engineering projects arising from the Government's €184bn National Development Plan (NDP).
Asked if the NDP - due to be rolled out between now and 2016 - could sustain current levels of employment in the construction industry in the short term, Mr Fogarty was uncertain.
"Not quite. It won't add to it if the housing market turns down, because the housing market is the biggest factor. It [the NDP] will certainly absorb most of the slack in the numbers and there will be a downturn, maybe a small downturn in overall employment, but not a significant one."
The NDP is the 'soft landing' and will keep those important (and potentially dangerous) 'breakfast roll' men in jobs for another few years....
Good idea Dunk
Interesting stuff. I'm a keen walker myself and think that your suggestion was good.
Dont be put off by that scruffy pot smokin troll.
I think the Tara issue seems to attract a lot of pretentious unwashed idiots. They like to talk in riddels and mock all around with their druid jargon.
Most of these fools are very irritating and generally full of shit.
The sight of some of these maggots puts me off having anything to do with Tara.
An effort was made yesterday to try to ensure our Chief Justice (Mr John L. Murray) is aware of the way constitutional democracy now appears to be under threat in major ways: both in the United States of America and in the Republic of Ireland.
In many respects it's the Republic of Ireland's legal profession that will be on trial in Navan today, and much more so than the 7 people who are being forced to appear before the court there.
For anybody interested the text of yesterday's e-mail to Chief Justice John L. Murray, which was copied to several senior politicians and lawyers, can be viewed at the following address: http://www.europeancourtofhumanrightswilliamfinnerty.co...l.htm .
Some people may also wish to keep in mind the following piece from the Daily Telegraph on January 14th 2006, which was LONG BEFORE the European Union quite rightly started to raise serious questions regarding the legal validity of our National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004:
"(Dr.) Gerry Hogan (Trinity College, Dublin), senior counsel for Mr Salafia, claimed the legislation used to push through the project (M3) was unconstitutional. He said the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004 weakened the role of the Oireachtas (Ireland's national parliament) by giving the minister discretionary powers to determine the fate of the country's heritage. Mr Hogan claimed the state's duty to protect monuments had been 'seriously compromised'. (See also at http://www.indymedia.ie/article/83003&comment_limit=0&c...98350 .)
We consider that the proposal to build a 4 lane motorway, including a massive interchange, within 1200 metres of the hill of Tara to be a crime against the culture, heritage and history of our people, a whole landscape of an area of unparalleled and irreplacable importance to all the people of this island. These foolish thinking men with political power and corruptions who will inflict this wound on the most important symbol of our civilisation and identity will be damned by their actions. that they would willfully ignore the will of the people of this island in an attempt to proceed with this plunder says as much about the health of our democracy and our society. That those who peacefully resist this desecration and illegality should be locked up as common criminals is a testament to the potency of the importance of this struggle and says how much those in power fear. we call on all people of goodwill, all people who value ideals, not measured in monitary terms, all people who know that after this reverpacious(muffled?) creed has passed, we will be left with nothing but our heritage and identity upon which to rebuild. We call upon all of you to stand by us, we call upon all politicians, north and south, to support our actions, we call on you all to make a sand now for beauty and truth, against greed and corruption, to stand shoulder to shoulder in the defense of Tara.
posted at
http://indymedia.ie/article/83556
and on video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwscfDp57V4
.
AUDIO RESISTENCE
A detailed account of events leading up to and during last Wednesday's arrests can now be viewed at the following "Meath Chronicle" location: http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/m3--it-was-always-goi....html .
Some samples:
"Another protestor, complete with his hard hat and high-viz vest over an Offaly GAA jersey, declared that he himself was a health and safety officer, and sought access to the site."
"The protestor who had earlier remarked that the worker didn’t speak English wanted the gardai to talk to her in Irish, as was her right."
“Listen to her shouting in pain - that’s assault, ...”
The seven Tara defendents appeared at Navan District court today and were released on bail to appear again on September 5th. The four who had spent the last week in Cloverhill Prison agreed to abide by the bail conditions and were released. The defendents are being represented by Michael Finnucane solicitors.
More detailed court report to follow.
Thank you for standing and taking so much pressure over the last years and particularly in the last week
Thanks Lads!
There is much admiration and support for the Campaigns and for the vigil keepers.
We will stand again for the trial.
http://www.savetara.com
Keep it burning!
Campaign Call for Complete Halt to Works Pending EU Directions
All campaigners released on bail to appear in September
The Campaign to Save Tara today repeated its call for all work to be halted on the proposed M3 Motorway through the Tara/Skryne Valley and vowed to continue its campaign. The seven environmental and heritage activists arrested last week appeared in Navan District Court this morning and were released on bail to appear again on September 5th. The Save Tara grouping today reiterated that it’s Campaign of disruption and delay will continue until the road is re-routed out of the Tara landscape.
Last week , in correspondence with Minister Gormley, the EU indicated that continuing works on the M3 were illegal under EU law governing the need for Environmental Impact Assessments. The EU argues that under law the discovery of the Lismullen National monument constitutes a ‘material alteration’ from the circumstances of the initial EIA. The Campaign is calling on Ministers Gormley and Dempsey to respect European Law and to cease all work within the Valley until the European Court of Justice has ruled on this issue.
Michael Canney, spokesperson for the Campaign said today; ‘The removal or altering of a National Monument not previously subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment is illegal under European Law, and indeed the whole route selection process is flawed – you cannot pretend that the potential impacts were adequately assessed in this case because the National Monument was not discovered at the time of the 2003 Environmental Impact Assessment. In fact, all the discoveries along the proposed route indicate that the Tara landscape is an integrated complex and constitutes a National Monument in its own right’.
‘The Irish Government, like any member state, must respect EU law. After all, what is the point of the EU's existence at all if individual states simply cherry pick directives to suit their own convenience? These directives are designed for the common good and aren't issued lightly. The Government chose to run a motorway through a complex of archaeological sites, against all professional, impartial advice. They are now choosing to disregard and flout EU regulations and directives. All of this has brought shame and disgrace on the Irish nation. Democracy - never mind heritage - is diminished by this whole affair and the wishes of both the Irish people and the dictates of the EU have been disregarded. This is another wake up call for the Irish Government.’ Mr. Canney added.
I noticed today that there was a news blackout in the Irish republic today regarding the Tara campaigners - of course they are all hippies and commies.....
Of course, you realise that there is going to be 2 tolls on the route of the M3 which will cost Joe Public commuter at least 3000 Euro a year for the privalige of using it and that money will be going to a Spanish comany....... and you realise that there is a shorter cheaper route. But of course, why stand in the way of progress by asking for 3km of the route to be moved when you can simply destroy national monuments and Irish heritage forever.
It is good to see that there is people from England over there campaigning. It just goes to show how important Tara is not only to Irish people but worldwide
Lets hope that Tara will get saved before it is too late.
News report from the court in Navan today.
http://www.rte.ie/news/6news/
Just scroll down until the topic appears
the brother's just been arrested (Aodh) and possibly others
- I think for illegal camping
- Up in Trim Court in the afternoon
Krossie
A further protester arrested some time ago. Brought to Navan garda station, going to Kells court now.
Get Aodh to caontact Muireann Please, with details and we will see if we cannot get him a
no bullshit defence lawyer.
:-)
he will be a'right.
Solidarity!
The seven (now 8) peaceful demonstrators were most definitely picked off. The latest arrest
is of an Irish Speaker and poet who has been a part of the camp for quite a period. He needs
solidarity and support. Please get someone down to the courthouse to ensure he is treated
fairly and that any charges laid against him are transmitted to the Vigil and CST and other
groups. Aodh has always stated that he is a non-violent direct activist. He keeps his own
counsel on the politics putting the issue of conservation first.
Solidarity to the Vigil Keepers.
0861758557
0879249510
The State through the offices of John Gormley are ignoring the criminalisation of eco-protestors.
Make no mistake the CC/SIac are using criminal law and not injunction against eco.
This is precedent and will be remembered by many as the cowardice of the current minister
of the Environment against his own grass root.
Despite the fact that constitutional law expert Dr Gerard Hogan (Trinity College, Dublin) obviously believes our National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004 to be "unconstitutional" (and consequently illegal), and the much more recent concerns expressed by European Union Commissioner Stavros Dimas, both Judge John Brophy and defence lawyer Michael Finucane last Wednesday in Navan "acted as if" the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004 (Republic of Ireland) was all legally valid.
An effort was made yesterday to point out this very strange and sickening situation to several senior lawyers and politicians.
The e-mail used was titled: "Legal profession on trial".
For anybody interested a copy of yesterday's e-mail, which was directed primarily at our Chief Justice Mr John L. Murray, can be viewed at http://www.europeancourtofhumanrightswilliamfinnerty.co...l.htm
It seems to me the time has now come when the legal profession needs to be strongly challenged regarding the outrageously corrupt behaviour they continue to indulge themselves in, and which they apparently have not the slightest intention of giving up.
"Experience, however, soon showed in what way they (the legal profession) were to become the most dangerous ..." (Thomas Jefferson at http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1270.htm )
My hope is that the seven people who now have to defend themselves in court on September 5th will somehow find a way to protect themselves, and to get justice: without having to kowtow to all the corruption in the legal profession.
Visit
www.myspace.com/songfortara
to hear the latest song for Tara written by Steve Cooney, set to music by Liam Ó Maonlai, it is called “Tara’s Eye” (money-mad-mile)
And the credits:
Liam Ó Maonlai - vocals, piano
Laoise Kelly - wire harp
Odhrán Ó Casaide - violin, uilleann pipes
Steve Cooney - guitars, bass, percussion, ditjeridú, production
Copyright © Steve Cooney 2007
Rath Lugh visible from the Lia Fáil
Here are the lyrics of the Steve Cooney song: you can hear it at:
http://www.myspace.com/songfortara
Money-Mad-Mile
(Tara Road)
(I was told officially, when I went for tea at the Tara Tea Rooms grand
There was a major excavation, beyond my expectation, so I went with my cap in my hand...
And when I got to that Sacred spot, well, I could only admire the view
High above that money-mad-mile under the Tara sky so blue...)
.
When the earth sheds it’s skin, the energy within is unstoppable creative force
And if you’re driving a machine through the Tara-Skryne your race has run its course
We’re singin’ up the land, not afraid to take a stand to let Creation shine through
High above that money-mad-mile under the Tara sky so blue...
We’ve all been awoken, the Word has been spoken ‘Stop the work on the Money-Mad-Mile’
And people get ready, keep the Spirit steady, we gotta raise the roof up for a while
It’s the Spirit of the Land or the Plan of the Damned, and it’s a hell of a thing to do
But we’re gonna fly high above that money-mad-mile under the Tara sky so blue...
Do you hear the sound through the holy ground where the ancient Fianna sleep?
In their gravelly beds, the Spirits of the dead and the Lia Fáil weep
And wherever we rest, in this world or the next, we will have learnt a thing or two
High above that money-mad-mile under the Tara sky so blue!
The cynical-clinical clones of construction seem to think that we’re some kind of clowns
So we’ve got to pull together through this stormy weather
to make those money-mad-men back down
And if they take us all away, we’ll have to watch and pray
over this wreck of the Ship Of Fools
High above that money-mad-mile, under the Tara sky so blue...
There’s a solution to this cultural pollution that’s goin’ on in Gabhra green
Take the route to the West, the short road is best, no Toll through the Tara-Skryne
Born wild and free, people like me are not gonna see this road go through
And soon we’ll being flying high above that money-mad-mile under the Tara sky so blue...
There’s no need to panic, we’re a natural organic dynamic, rekindling the ancient fire
So politicians rethink, step back from the brink, and listen to the dawn choir
These are timeless rights, so we’ll sit here through the nights
and we will fight for what is true
High above that money-mad-mile under the Tara sky so blue!
Ω
Steve Cooney
4th July ‘07
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
A local band, Coscán, wrote and recorded a song for Tara "Crazy Cut" a number of years ago.
Paul Muldoon wrote a poem for Tara, you can find it here: http://www.savetara.com/Download/TaraoftheKings.pdf
He also plays with a band and will be playing in Navan at the end of August.
Here is a link to the photos of the court appearance at Navan 25 July 2007.
Thanks to Padraigin Ni Uallachain, singer, who was present, and to Cllrs Phil Cantwell and Andy Brennan and to the locals who were also there. They know who they are. Your support for the 7 is so appreciated.
Taken by a supporter on the day:
http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u167/muireanntemair/...2007/
The currently charged campaigner was visited by a commissoner for peace and
councillor who is also a member of the Visiting committee for prisoners.
Aodh is fine. There has been no update on the list about continued incarceration
or charges. He was arrested on Thursday afternoon.
Updates are on the save tara list.
http://www.savetara.com
The 7 who are on continuing bail and facing trial are up again at Navan District Court on
September the fifth when a date for trial will be set. The four men and three women
are ok and released a statement calling for support for the campaign which will continue.
I hope it will "trial by jury" - otherwise those being charged will end up with "trial by judge/s".
The first requirement is to truthfully define some words being used, eg: "democracy" means "people rule"...it does not mean "mob rule"...it does not mean "elected representatives rule"...it does not mean "an elite rules"... it does not mean "some of the people rule", and it certainly does not mean that "judges rule".
People rule by making Common Law and they do this by the legal and unanimous judgments of Juries.
The Meath chronicle article, like most reports is hardly unbiased.The mainstream media mostly either ignore the issue or make up their version of events.Thats why independent media activists are there and thats why they get arrested .
(See Dempsey's comments on Tara - this is one of the few comments in print from him on this issue. Now the excuse is the expense. Well if they had never gone there, this expense would not be involved.)
Irish Examiner, Monday 30 July 2007
Public transport smart card to cost €20m over budget
By Áine Kerr
THE long-anticipated smart card system for public transport is spiralling over budget and could result in cost overruns of €20 million, according to Government documents obtained by the Irish Examiner.
Despite being promised by 2002 within a budget of €29.5m, the integrated ticketing system is now expected to cost €49.6m, double the original price.
The briefing document prepared for Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey also reveals that any changes to the controversial M3 motorway near the Hill of Tara would “have serious consequences for the State”.
“Over €200m of Exchequer money could be lost. Approximately €100m has already been spent on land for the scheme,” the report states. It also warns that any re-routing could result in contractors submitting “substantial claims for compensation”. Re-routing could also cause significant time delays as it is “quite likely” that the National Roads Authority would have to reapply for planning permission.
Separately, in a detailed analysis of the smart card system, the brief states that there were prolonged difficulties resulting in an inconclusive procurement procedure for a system provider and operator in 2005. According to the document, a recent report by the Ticketing Project Board (ITPB) put the “expected capital cost” of the system at €49.6m.
It noted that “the increase in cost from €29.6m was due to the longer and more realistic implementation period for the project from 2005 to 2010 and subsequent price inflation”.
A condition of the original sanction of funding by the Department of Finance was that the capital cost of the project would not exceed €29.5m. In May, however, the department sanctioned the revised project and authorised the chairman of the Project Board last month to proceed with the implementation of the system with the increased budget.
Last year, a report from the Comptroller and Auditor general stated a failed public procurement process undertaken by the Railway Procurement Agency had cost almost €1m and delayed the project by about one year.
an excellent video showing a personal view of the protests:
filmed by tarapixie. well done.
http://indymedia.ie/article/83552
Just seen video, very good footage and a true representaion of the days events.It clearly shows the diverse group of protesters gathered acting in a non violent unthreatening manner .Didnt even here any abusive language ! ..What a well manner bunch.
Love the quote from worker
Well done tarapixie for the video .
Though Minister Gormley has 'taken a break' , what with being in the job a few weeks:-
http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/1084...omnet
He will get the letter sent today on the call for a halt! to the M3.
Lets hope he reads it- and not one of the civil servants so badly paid to give crap advice to the
ministers three. (Cullen/Roche/Gormley)
Seems to be a new web site. Some new video's have been added - photo gallery too.
Check it out.
http://www.tarapixie.net
News is coming in of another arrest at Tara, Soldier Hill location.
A protester got onto the arm of a digger earlier this morning.
He was arrested by a garda and a SIAC manager pulled him off the digger.
There is video evidence.
He is en route to Chancery St Court apparently.
There should be photos to follow shortly.
tarapixie wants you to check out this video:
soldiers Hill 010807_9am
A concerned active citizen, Danny, climbed onto the jib of a digger at approx 6.30am this morning on the M3 construction site off the N3, just opposite Soldier's Hill at Garlow Cross, Dublin Road going into Navan. He had an Irish tricolour flag with him, covered his face with a tshirt, and he wore his own hard hat, high visibilty jacket and site boots. At the same time approx 8 supporters gathered around the entrance of the site, bearing banners and placards. A lot of the rush hour traffic beeped support as they drove down the N3. Then, Sword security arrived, along with Wills Bros and SlAC Ferrovial workers as per their usual working day. Security surrounded the digger, along with construction workers. The Gardaí arrived, and spoke to the protester, taking his personal details. 2 dump trucks parked in front of the digger, and tilted their earth mover, so the digger was not visible to us, or the general public. We expressed our concern about Danny's welfare to the Garda, and he said he didn't personally want to be present, he was just doing his job, and it was his job to get Danny down safely. A cherry picker was was made out of a forklift and a palate and was placed on one side of the digger arm. A real cherry picker was placed on the other side of the digger, a Garda and a worker (one of whom we can confirm is Marcus Hargraves) was placed in each cherry picker. They proceeded to drag Danny off the arm of the digger by force, first taking his Irish tricolour from him. Once in the cherry picker, they lowered him down to the ground, where the Gardai then linked him, handcuffed him, and escorted him off site in the squad car. The Garda station in Navan is unable to answer our questions satisfactorily, and in fact have tried to prevent us finding out all the details relating to this case. All we know is Danny has now been taken by the Gardai to some court in Dublin 7. We have phoned our solicitor on his behalf. 086 1758 557 086 3600 478
Watch Video
Personal message from tarapixie:
A concerned active citizen, Danny, climbed onto the jib of a digger at approx 6.30am this morning on the M3 construction site off the N3, just opposite Soldier's Hill at Garlow Cross, Dublin Road going into Navan. He had an Irish tricolour flag with him, covered his face with a tshirt, and he wore his own hard hat, high visibilty jacket and site boots. At the same time approx 8 supporters gathered around the entrance of the site, bearing banners and placards. A lot of the rush hour traffic be
Cheers,
The LiveVideo Team
Direct link to video
http://www.livevideo.com/video/E4351863E7B24D22B5D4B66E...50280
Hi,
Major THANKS , to Major Tom for supplying us with the Lyrics and Sound from Steve Cooney. I think it's the Most Beautiful thing I have Heard , probably Ever.!
It's my first time hearing it and wish it had made the Tara CD # Call In The Warriors. But there will be More Song and Poetry from Tara, HOW COULD THERE NOT BE!!!?!!!
http://www.myspace.com/songfortara
And yes the sound, from the Holy Ground, sure I Have heard it, drumming away and sometimes I hear it more than others, but I will thank you from my Heart , for , as at this late hour, with my head full of too much, I Thank you for lulling me back to sleep.
Many Blessings,
Carmel Ni Dhuibheanaigh,
Hibernian Order Of Druids
Cant believe its been that long! It feels like longer yet there is still no fixed date set for the Court cases of the 7 Operation Bedrock protesters and others although it is assumed to be September if there isnt another adjournment .
That was the day that changed how the NRA dealt with the protesters- no more stopping machinery by their entering a site, no, the workers would operate regardless swinging digger arms above the heads of those brave enough to enter and make a stand. The assaults have continued too. Some saga.
Temair of the cantred, and of the house,
without hurry, without frenzy of heroes,
was mother of the wealth of every tribe
till a foolish crime destroyed her.
The Metrical Dindschenchas. 1170.
Translated by Edward Gwynn. 1903.
A foolish crime has again destroyed Temair-Tara. Power hungry, ego driven politicians have ran the M3 through its complex and if this is not corrected and its reverence restored then an ancient curse awaits us. History has shown that all people who went to Tara with malignant intent eventually lost. This includes among others; the Vikings, Normans, Brits, Jews, Holy Rome and now...us???
Our prosperity, happiness and social cohesion may be unravelled by powers older and greater than us, powers which in the past helped us and gave us our identity. With every destroyed fairy fort, henge and emptied grave our luck has changed and it now runs out. An unforeseen recession has hurled back to us with alarming speed and suddenly everything seems to be going wrong. This will get worse until we are forced to face the results of our actions; and the truth is that we are all to blame. We have all allowed our once unique and spiritual heritage be bulldozed as though we were clearing rubble.
Submitted to all Irish papers. Sunday. 19th. July 2008.
Please pass this on, as maybe this unforeseen recession might force people to finally think about the wisdom of destroying Tara.
John.
As Carmel has reminded us, these were the events of this weekend last year. The cases have not yet been resolved in court a year on and will probably drag on for another few months.
A reminder then of what Soldier's Hill and Collierstown look like now.
Timely reminder as the petition to re-inter the bodies is launched.
Timely reminder as the protesters have been proven right. A year on and the EU has given a judgement on Ireland and EIA/EIS.
Here is the press release from Kathy Sinnott on the matter:
-Press Release- Thursday, 3 July 2008
MEP Sinnott welcomes long awaited decision by ECJ of Irish Government's misinterpretation of EIA
Kathy Sinnott, MEP for Ireland South, today welcomed the long awaited recognition from the EU Court that the Irish government's interpretation of the requirement for Environmental Impact Assessments and what constitutes them is faulty.
Case C-215/06 of the 3rd July in the EU Court has found this misinterpretation was implicated in decisions like Derrybrien, Co. Galway. Mrs. Sinnott commented "This Court decision will require a rewriting of Ireland's planning legislation especially in relation to the widespread practice in Ireland of retention and in relation to the requirement to include qualitative information for example for soil stability, which is often overlooked in EIA/EIS today in Ireland. Although the Court did not rule on many of the individual examples of quarrying projects, sawmills, wind-farms, these examples were strong evidence of disregard for the environment by Irish planning as it has been practised. This judgement can now be used by community groups to challenge projects in their locality that they feel will be significantly damaging to their environment and in which they feel there has not been a proper assessment of the potential impact."
Continued Deputy Sinnott "This case may be too late for many communities whose environment has been damaged by over-quarrying, badly sited wind-farms, road projects and industries using toxic chemicals. This judgement, in finding against the Irish Authorities raises Questions of remediation and redress."
"However despite the uncertainties that surround completed projects, I am confident the judgement will be very important in protecting the communities and their environments in current and future planning applications."
Soldier Hill June 08
Lismullin looking Rath Lugh direction
Lismullin looking Soldier Hill direction
Collierstown
Collierstown again
We all knew that this case would never come to trial until the potitician cut the ribbon.
..........................................................and the battle raged in the hearts of thousands
From every walk of life
At every economic level
Keep talking
Solas
Terry
http://www.sacredireland.org
The cases will begin hearing at Trim Court, on Monday morning, 10.30am, 11th May and will continue for a week until 15th May. The court has been booked to hear Tara cases only for this week.
Nearly two years ....
This thread covers the issues of the time.
It is worth noting that the two minister held responsible for the €60m wasted money on voting machines, Dempsey and Cullen, are also the ministers most closely associated with the planning of the M3 on its present route. The estimated cost is anything between €700m - €1bn and the road will be twice-tolled. Meath has one of the highest numbers of unemployed due to the recession, the road is already a white elephant. What is Blundelstown Interchange for? How much did this completely unnecessary monstrosity cost? Any passing commuter can now see how it climbs the slopes of the Hill of Tara and how invasive it is on the landscape never mind the catastrophe as Rath Lugh.
It has emerged over the past two years that the Government/Gardaí had implemented "Operation Bedrock" to deal with protests at Tara.
Video evidence will be played in court and details of Operation Bedrock will be revealed.
With Monday's court case in mind, I'm wondering if anything has ever been done about clearing up the major doubts relating to the constitutionality of our National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004?
Doubts expressed by Dr Gerard Hogan regarding the constitutionality of our National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Doubts+expressed+b...f&oq=
Euros 600,000 court case, and doubts still remain regarding the constitutionality of our National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Euros+600%2C000+co...earch
If major uncertainties still exist regarding the core issue of whether this particular Act is actually lawful, or not, how can Monday's court case sensibly proceed?
I don't know of anybody who believes our National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004 is constitutional.
Consequently, I continue to see this particularly nasty and socially destructive piece of legislation as a product of rampant corruption in our legal profession.
To make matters far worse, our legal profession continues to outrageously pretend this Act is valid law despite very obvious heritage losses of the priceless and irreplaceable kind described at: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/83306
Chief Justice John L. Murray, Justice Thomas Smyth, Dr Gerard Hogan, Constitutionality of our National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004): http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Chief+Justice+John...earch
Cultural Genocide and International Law:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Cultural+Genocide+...earch
"Being convinced that damage to cultural property belonging to any people whatsoever means damage to the cultural heritage of all mankind, since each people makes its contribution to the culture of the world;"
"Considering that the preservation of the cultural heritage is of great importance for all peoples of the world and that it is important that this heritage should receive international protection;"
"Being of the opinion that such protection cannot be effective unless both national and international measures have been taken to organize it in time of peace;"
The above three excerpts all come from the Preamble to the 1954 Hague Convention, the full text of which can be viewed at: http://www.icomos.org/hague/HaguePreamble.html
With due regard for the fact that the importance of cultural heritage -- of ALL origins -- was stressed in the above way (in 1954), I'll be very interested to see what (if any) significance our legal profession here in the Republic of Ireland attaches to such statements in 2009, as they proceed with the "Tara Protestors" court case in Trim Court during this coming week (beginning on Monday at 10.30 a.m. May 11th, and continuing until Friday15th May).
I'll also be very interested to see what (if any) significance our "main stream media" attaches to statements of the above kind in their reporting of this particular case: which, incidentally, appears to have been delayed in a manner that possibly violates the "trial within a reasonable time" principle mentioned in Article 5.3 of the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003 (Republic of Ireland), the full text of which can be viewed at http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2003/en/act/pub/0020/pri....html , and which in turn has meant that work on this PPP (Public Private Partnership) Toll Road has been allowed to go on for many, many months longer that it perhaps should have done.
"Damage to cultural property belonging to any people whatsoever means damage to the cultural heritage of all mankind, since each people makes its contribution to the culture of the world."
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22damage+to+cultu...f&oq=
Destruction of ancient heritage sites at Tara and the M3 PPP Toll Road:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Destruction+of+anc...f&oq=
Destruction of ancient heritage sites at Turoe and the N6 PPP Road:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Destruction+of+anc...earch
Woodlawn House and the National Toll Roads Super Dump at Kilconnell:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Woodlawn+House+and...earch was stress
Bridget (Celtic Goddess of Healing, Power, Strength, Vigor, and Virtue):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Bridget%2C+Celtic+...earch
I would just like to wish everyone on trial from tomorrow the best of luck with each case. It will be an interesting week!
Hopefully, this court case might bring about a turning point in our fortunes; and, if it does, then we all have much to be thankful for to those who "walked the walk" in a way which could result in they being criminalised for trying to peacefully protect what is probably Ireland's most important heritage complex.
"Government of the corrupt, by the corrupt, for the corrupt" (Republic of Ireland):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22Government+of+t...earch
As far as the general public is concerned at least, there appears to be a major (if not total) news blackout regarding the "Tara" court case in Trim -- which I assume is going ahead this week as planned?
Does anybody know what the reason for this blackout is?
Note that Google (at the present time) only appears to register information that is weeks old on this issue, which suggests that everyone involved (including the "main stream media") is being extremely tight-lipped regarding the court proceedings in question -- assuming of course that the court hearing is actually taking place: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Trim+Court+Case%2C...o&oq=
Yes, the cases sent ahead on Monday and Wednesday. All cases were dismissed ending about 2.30pm this afternoon. There was no media present that we could see. We could not make comment until now.
I'm completely astonished to learn "There was no media present that we could see" (Dr Muireann Ni Bhrolchain at Wed May 13, 2009 16:06 ).
How extremely convenient that must be for certain of those deeply involved in this heritage outrage: almost certainly the very greatest in the history of our State.
I'm delighted by the fact though that none of the protesters have been criminalised: that definitely is a good achievement, and much credit is due to all involved in producing this very useful, historic, and truly remarkable piece of success.
Allowing for the fact that "All (13) cases were dismissed" (and thrown out of court), will the State now be paying the legal bills of the several protesters involved I wonder?
Most important of all though, I'm wondering if our National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004 has survived this week's "Tara Protesters Trim Court Case" completely intact and unscathed? -- so that it can possibly be used again (and again maybe!!) in the future to "lawfully" destroy yet more of our heritage sites, such as the one shown at http://www.indymedia.ie/article/83306 for example ???
Comments by Dr Gerard Hogan (Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin) on the constitutionality of our National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Comments+by+Dr+Ger...f&oq=
Tyranny and Unconstitutional Legislation (Republic of Ireland):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Tyranny+and+Uncons...earch
Impunity (Republic of Ireland):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Impunity+%28Republ...f&oq=
To reply to Brigit, thanks for your interest and your wishes. We are glad its over, I don't think we realised just how much of a strain and stress it was until we heard the word dismissed - 3 times in certain cases.
There are two points here
(i) The non-appearance of the media was astonishing and they missed quite a show yesterday. It wasn't for the want of their being contacted either as they were given advance notice and then reminded some days beforehand and then some individuals were contacted again. Radio na Gaeltachta were the only ones who showed an interest - as usual. RTE were to send someone but then he was sent elsewhere. Yes, its very convenient.
(ii) The National Monuments Act was not an issue for the court cases. The Public Order Act was however.
I cannot comment on other matters.
It's unbelievable that it was blacked out by the media. I have heard some of what went on through the grapevine and it sounds like there was quite a show up there in Trim court! Now that the cases are over I hope that proceedings will be made public cos if what I hear is true then its a story too good to miss! It's explosive material and I am surprised the protesters are so quiet about it. Why?
"I have heard some of what went on through the grapevine and it sounds like there was quite a show up there in Trim court! "
If you were a real supporter you would have been in the court .
This was not a show !
We are talking about peoples lives here ,lives that could have been changed but for good judgement and hard working legal teams.
These people have been under a heavy burden hoping for the best fearing the worst.Your statement shows no empathy for the two long years have suffered with the threat of conviction and with the bail conditions which prevented them protesting .They were forced to travel past the deep scare on the landscape which is the M3 not easy for people who passionately opposed it using their very bodies at times to halt the destruction . The company which has ripped the heart out of Ireland had attempted to do the same to these just brave individuals BUT THEY FAILED !
Let us give these people time to rest and recovery from their ordeal .It is their right to privacy that matters most at this time.
Well done all
Dear Newshound and Tara support,
Sorry, I used the word "show" first - probably because video evidence was shown in court.
I'm a bit wary of publishing anything further as I'm only one of the people involved and I'm not prepared to speak for all the people involved. Secondly, I'm wary as I'm not sure what can be said legally, some matters were "discovered" and can only be used in court and not afterwards. Apparently there are strict regulations as to what can be reported from a court case. You cannot report and comment at the same time.
Thirdly, it is up to others if they want to talk about their individual cases or not. They were very different - not all charge sheets were the same.
Finally, I'm not going to discuss my own case here and I'm not giving details as I intend to use the information elsewhere as well. And I'm conscious that I may lay myself open to all sorts of attacks as has happened in the past. I'm not doing that again.
Big party at the Vigil tomorrow night- film screening, ceol agus craic :) All welcome