Tara Reburials Petition

by Carmel Diviney - TSPG Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:20

Hi all,

Many thanks to all who turned up yesterday for the handing in of the Tara Reburials Petition. We now await a reply from An Taoiseach Brian Cowen and the Director of the National Museum of Ireland, Dr. Pat F. Wallace as to their intentions towards these remains ie. Curation or Reburial. We will update you as soon as possible.

Many thanks also to those that attended the Fire at Tlachtga, the Samhain Gathering at the Mound of the Hostages at Tara and the Fire afterwards at Collierstown. There was a surprise in store for everyone who showed up at Tara as we had obtained prior permission from the OPW to have the Mound of the Hostages opened during our Ceremony. The symbolism of having the iron gate removed at Samhain will not be lost on anyone, especially on such an important day as yesterday.

Many times I have stood outside and wished to go in and am so grateful to have had that wish granted. It was amazing to be enveloped within, the smell of the earth, the torch glow from outside, the sound of chanting, the Otherworldly presence, it was amazing.

Our ceremony became an informal gathering as we were joined by others from outside our group and also because two people were filming but even without casting a circle etc. it naturally flowed in honour of the Ancestors exactly as it should. The rain was a factor in deciding to make it more informal too as it doused the torches and we were not able to light the juniper smudge! Once the rain died off a little, we brought in the symbols from the four directions, the gifts bestowed on Ireland by the Tuatha De Dannan, the Sword from the east, the Spear from the south, the Couldron from the west and the Stone, the Lia Fáil from the north.

It was collectively decided that because the ground was so treacherously wet to be climbing up hills and because teams would be so small ( maybe 20 people present in total) we would forego lighting the seven hills and each of the sites on the M3 route as planned and would convene again at Collierstown for a Fire. There, we visualised the hills with their beacons lit and activated the flames from our inner consciousness sending out light and healing energy to them and to the entire landscape.

It was a wonderful day long Vigil for the Ancestors , especially Tara’s Ancestors.

Thank you all.

Carmel

Photos:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=32386&id=10000135...1d28b

by R Mon Nov 08, 2010 09:02

I will be with you all in spirit. Good luck :)

by Carmel Diviney - TSPG Fri Nov 05, 2010 13:19

Reburials Press Release:

A petition to reinter the remains of those whose graves were desecrated during excavations for the M3 Motorway through the Tara Skryne Valley Co. Meath, will be handed in at Dáil Eireann on Monday 8th Nov 12 mid day.

Tara campaigners demand that the remains removed from their ancient Sacred Burial Grounds be reinterred in a respectful and dignified manner as closely as possible to their original resting places and as closely as possible to their original ceremonial layout. This campaign was given the backing of the World Archaeological Conference held in Dublin 2008 and attended by over 1,800 archaeologists, native peoples and international scholars from 74 nations.

Quote from WAC:

" Recognising that the reburial of ancient remains in Ireland is subject to the provisions of the National Monuments Act and the agreement of the National Museum of Ireland, the World Archaeological Congress also draws attention to the Vermillion Accord on human remains and suggests that any human remains excavated from the cultural landscape of Tara should be re-interred with due respect as close as possible to their original locations, as this is where these people would have wished to be buried".

It is estimated that between 60-90 remains were removed from Collierstown, the reputed burial site of the Fianna after the Battle of Gabhra in 284 AD. In addition over 27 were removed from Ardsallagh and many more were taken from individual sites along the route of the M3 Motorway.

Well known signatories and supporters of the petition include Actor Stuart Townsend, Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, Pultizer Prize winner Paul Muldoon, Writer Colm Tóibín, famous Harpist Laoise Kelly, Grammy Award winning Singer/Songwriter Susan Mc Keown, Guitar Virtuoso Aidan Brennan and Musician Steve Cooney as well as Archbishop of Armagh Alan Harper and Bishop Smith of the Catholic Meath Diocese.

The organisers of the petition, Tomás Mac Cormaic and Carmel Diviney wish to thank Tara supporters worldwide for adding to the call to put pressure on the Irish Government and the National Museum of Ireland to show due respect to Tara’s ancestral remains. We hope that the thousands of other remains unearthed during construction works throughout the country which are not being held for scientific research purposes, will likewise be given dignified and respectful reburial without delay.

Signed,

Carmel Diviney,

Secretary,

Tara Skryne Preservation Group.

by Carmel Diviney Wed Nov 03, 2010 17:02

Some very moving videos there. It was a real coup to get such well known and respected people to the Cairn at Collierstown prior to the Feis Teamhra . Many thanks to Mark Cantwell for this video and to Liam Mc Cluskey for providing the music on the day and to all who attended the ceremony.

There will be a torchlit procession from the car park at the Hill of Tara to the Mound of the Hostages at 6.30pm Monday 8th November following on from handing in the Reburials Petition to the Dáil during the day. From this we will take torches to the surrounding Hills and to the sites along the route that were desecrated by the Motorway. All welcome to take part.

by Carmel Diviney - TSPG Wed Nov 03, 2010 16:53

Many thanks to Webwolf for creating this video which showcases the aims of TSPG in response to the call for submissions to the Tara Landscape Conservation Area Plan.

www.taraskryne.com

Caption: Video Id: XOi8jO88AQU Type: Youtube Video
Tara Skryne Preservation Group Video

by Carmel Diviney - TSPG Wed Nov 03, 2010 16:48

Paul Muldoon, Susan Mc Keown, Róisín Mc Keown and Colm Tóibín lay a wreath for the disintered at Collierstown Cairn 29th Aug 2010.

The Tara Skryne Preservation Group erected this monument in honour of the ancestors whose sacred Burial Grounds were disturbed during works for the M3 Motorway. It is one of our Group aims to have monuments erected at all of the major sites that were desecrated along the route.

by Carmel Diviney Wed Nov 03, 2010 16:37

Moving video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys3SSFs-zw8

Caption: Video Id: Ys3SSFs-zw8 Type: Youtube Video
Dixon Mounds Reburials

by Carmel Diviney Tue Nov 02, 2010 16:01

My most recent correspondence with the Archbishop of Armagh show him to be very considered and educated on the subject of M3 remains. It is the Archbishops view that it would be disrespectful to them to impose a specifically Christian service of internment as many of the remains are pre- Christian.

Archbishop Smith's office has said that he will continue to to call on the National Museum for the return of all remains for burial in the parish of their origin.

Tara campaigners call for the remains to be reintered as closely as possible to where they were removed.

Archbishop of Armagh Speaks of Power and Significance of Sacred Space
Press Releases
Added on 13/11/2008
The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Revd Alan Harper, OBE, last night (12/11/08) gave a notable talk entitled, ‘The Power and Significance of Sacred Space’ at the Armagh Club, Upper English Street, Armagh, organised by the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society. In his wide-ranging paper, which discussed sacred buildings, sites and structures in a ritual landscape and the importance of burial grounds, he expressed his belief that sacred spaces offer an opportunity to experience ‘otherness’ and called for ‘a more reverent and less utilitarian approach to our estimation and evaluation’ for burials.
Archbishop Harper said, ‘Intimations of the sacred continue to exert powerful influence even in the absence of any commitment to faith, especially but not exclusively where sacred space is demarcated by “landmark buildings”. This is not merely because of the quality of such buildings but also, crucially, because of those intimations of an encounter with “otherness” that such places enshrine’.
Drawing on his former archaeological experience, the Archbishop spoke of the ancient significance of hilltop sites such as the Hill of Armagh and the choice of lofty sites for both of the city’s two cathedrals. He also spoke of the importance of ritual landscapes as at Navan and Tara. He commented that he, ‘longed for the day when something can be done to restore and render accessible some vestige of Lough na Shade in its integral, spatial and historical relationship with the ritual landscape that is Emain Macha’.
Finally, he spoke of graveyards bearing the ‘sequential fingerprints of change’, remarking, ‘So rich a repository of human knowledge and self understanding are our graveyards that their respectful care and preservation need to be seen as both a human and scientific necessity’.
The full transcript of the Archbishop’s lecture can be found by clicking here.
For further information please contact:
Church of Ireland Press Office
Church of Ireland House
61-67 Donegall Street
Belfast BT1 2QH

by Carmel Diviney Mon Nov 01, 2010 18:40

As per link above Judith we will be handing it in to Dáil Éireann but you may not have been able to access the link if you're not on Facebook, apologies.

Our Petition was given the backing of the World Archaeological Congress in Dublin July 2008

Quote:

“Recognising that the reburial of ancient remains in Ireland is subject to the provisions of the National Monuments Act and the agreement of the National Museum of Ireland, the World Archaeological Congress also draws attention to the Vermillion Accord on human remains and suggests that any human remains excavated from the cultural landscape of Tara should be re-interred with due respect as close as possible to their original locations, as this is where these people would have wished to be buried”

United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Indigenous Peoples

Article 12
1. Indigenous peoples have the right to manifest, practise, develop
and teach their spiritual and religious traditions, customs and ceremonies;
the right to maintain, protect, and have access in privacy
to their religious and cultural sites; the right to the use and control
of their ceremonial objects; and the right to the repatriation of their
human remains.
2. States shall seek to enable the access and/or repatriation of ceremonial
objects and human remains in their possession through fair,
transparent and effective mechanisms developed in conjunction with
indigenous peoples concerned

The Vermillion Accord on Human Remains
Adopted in 1989 at WAC Inter-Congress, South Dakota, USA.

1. Respect for the mortal remains of the dead shall be accorded to all, irrespective of origin, race, religion, nationality, custom and tradition.

2. Respect for the wishes of the dead concerning disposition shall be accorded whenever possible, reasonable and lawful, when they are known or can be reasonably inferred.

3. Respect for the wishes of the local community and of relatives or guardians of the dead shall be accorded whenever possible, reasonable and lawful.

4. Respect for the scientific research value of skeletal, mummified and other human remains (including fossil hominids) shall be accorded when such value is demonstrated to exist.

5. Agreement on the disposition of fossil, skeletal, mummified and other remains shall be reached by negotiation on the basis of mutual respect for the legitimate concerns of communities for the proper disposition of their ancestors, as well as the legitimate concerns of science and education.

6. The express recognition that the concerns of various ethnic groups, as well as those of science are legitimate and to be respected, will permit acceptable agreements to be reached and honoured.

The Tamaki Makau-rau Accord on the Display of Human Remains and Sacred Objects
Proposed in November, 2005 at WAC Inter-Congress, Auckland, New Zealand. Adopted by WAC Council in January, 2006, WAC Inter-Congress, Osaka, Japan

In recognition of the principles adopted by the Vermillion Accord, the display of human remains and sacred objects is recognised as a sensitive issue. Human remains include any organic remains and associated material. Sacred objects are those that are of special significance to a community. Display means the presentation in any media or form of human remains and sacred objects, whether on a single occasion or on an ongoing basis, including conference presentations or publications. Community may include, but is not limited to, ethnic, racial, religious, traditional or Indigenous groups of people.

WAC reiterates its commitment to scientific principles governing the study of the human past. We agree that the display of human remains or sacred objects may serve to illuminate our common humanity. As archaeologists, we believe that good science is guided by ethical principles and that our work must involve consultation and collaboration with communities. The members of the WAC council agree to assist with making contacts within the affected communities.

Any person(s) or organisation considering displaying such material or already doing so should take account of the following principles:

1. Permission should be obtained from the affected community or communities.

2. Should permission be refused that decision is final and should be respected.

3. Should permission be granted, any conditions to which that permission is subject should be complied with in full.

4. All display should be culturally appropriate.

5. Permission can be withdrawn or amended at any stage and such decisions should be respected.

6. Regular consultation with the affected community should ensure that the display remains culturally appropriate.

by Judith Mon Nov 01, 2010 18:00

Where are you handing in the petition to?

by Tara Tara Tara Mon Nov 01, 2010 17:50

If they can do it at Enfield they can surely do it at Tara- see link below. Shame on the desecrators! Reinter the ancestral remains with the dignity and respect they deserve.