Hill of Tara (top) clearly visible from M3 construction site in the the Tara-Skryne Valley

More Tara News: *Co Meath Sinn Féin County Cllr. Joe Reilly (SF) On The M3 Interchange / Debate On Campaign Tactics *Indymedia Tara Archive *Upcoming Tara Related Protests

Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin, PRO of Save the Tara-Skryne Valley Group writes:

''Further photographs taken Saturday July 16th show more caterpillar marks on the 15 foot high topsoil grinding down any possible finds that might emerge. The large digger on site has been replaced by a much smaller one but the marks of the caterpillar wheels clearly show that they were caused by a much larger machine. The test trenching report stated that there was an expected “19 century (?) house” on this site and this is carefully marked out on site. But this is not to say that other materials are not hidden in the topsoil of what is recognised as one of the richest archaeological landscapes in Europe.

Most archaeologists agree that 50%-80% of artefacts are found in the topsoil. If another Derry na Flann chalice or a Tara brooch appears there is not much hope of finding it crushed beneath one of these monster machines.

The Minister of Environment has shown that he is no such thing. We have no Minister for Heritage. The Ministry that M.D Higgins so carefully built up has been destroyed, Dúchas is dismantled and the NRA is given responsibility for archaeology. The same NRA along with Meath County Council are completely insensitive to the concerns of the local people over the methodology employed here. Where is the Research Documentation that should accompany such a dig?

Public money is being wasted on this unnecessary excavation. This is not proper research archaeology. This is wanton destruction and vandalism of our most important archaeological, literary, historical and sacred landscape and it must be stopped now.''

Updates On Rossport 5 Saga | A Day In The Struggle | Galway Protest Photoreport | Belmullet Rally Photo Series | Ex Gama Workers Support Rossport 5 Picket | DCTU Call For Release Of Rossport 5 | Shell To Sea Picket Norwegian Embassy | Second Cork Blockade Of Shell | The Story Behind The Inprisonment Of The Rossport 5 | Get Your Ass To Erris

The change proposed to the High Court order today is a welcome advance extracted from Shell. Shell has accepted, by implication, that it is in breach even of the rolling consents granted to them by ex-Minister Frank Fahy.

We welcome Shell’s promise to abide by the consent and hope that this indicates a new attitude on their part to what behaviour is tolerable in a democratic society.

It is regrettable that this decision to abide by the law has been extracted from Shell as a result of the action of our legal team, and is not a voluntary conversion. What a commentary this is on accepted business ethics, when such behaviour is practised with impunity.

We are in jail, as a last resort, to protect ourselves and our families, our neighbours and our area, from potential destruction by gas pipeline rupture. That remains our position, our one and only requirement: no-one can do less.

Pipelines rupture: no pipeline engineer intends this to happen but it does, with sickening frequency. The outlandish pipeline here proposed, to be forced in close proximity past our houses, is the stuff of nightmares. What they do to us, they will do to you.

The solution we are proposing, i.e. a shallow offshore platform, is the only positive one. It means yes to gas, yes to jobs, but yes to health and safety.

Posted on behalf of: Philip McGrath, Brendan Philbin, Vincent McGrath, Willie Corduff and Micheál Ó Seighin

Complete Indymedia Ireland Coverage Of Shell VS Rossport 5

From a Concerned Commenteer: The Tara campaign has become quiet of late, and it is time to mobilize public support in a very public way. There has been a need to separate litigation from the Save Tara Skryne Valley Group, in order to ensure protection from liability for the members of the non-incorporated group, who are not taking action, or directly supporting it. However, a strong message needs to be sent to the Government, and to the nation, that the people want the digs stopped. As you have seen, a new survey (PDF here / Methodology here) shows the majority of Irish people are against the route, and thus the excavation of Tara.

On June 14th, the Minister for the Environment, The Attorney General, Meath County Council, and the National Roads Authority will come to the High Court and give their first answer to the legal charges railed against them. Certain procedural determinations will be made that way, on how the case will proceed. One of the main issues, of course, will be whether the authorities will stop work of their own accord, and respect the legal process, or whether they will plough ahead, and the judge will be forced to either issue an order or an injunction. The fact that works are still continuing since the July 4th hearing in the High Court, when leave was granted to review the lagality of the M3 motorway scheme, shows the contempt the authorities have for the law. They must be shown up, for the cultural criminals they are.

A protest will begin outside the High Court on the morning of Thursday 14th July, at 9.00 am. It will continue throughout the day, until the hearing is concluded. The hearing will begin at 11.00 am - and could run into the afternoon.

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Yesterday's bomb attacks in London have been universally condemned by Anti-war groups in Ireland and Britain. Many right wing commentators have tried to link the murder of these innocent people to the anti-war movements, to the broad muslim community, to those people who protested against poverty and war at the G8 summit in Scotland, and in particular to anarchists. However, these claims are contradicted by the sweeping condemnations of this act that have been issued by the groups in question.

Statement by Irish Muslim Representative | Statement by SWP (UK) | Statement from British & Irish Anarchists | CWI Statement | Sinn Fein Statement | Labour Party Statement | UK Indymedia Statement | Scottish Socialist Party Statement | Respect Statement

Indymedia Ireland Debates On The Bombings: 1. | 2. | 3.
Wikipedia Entry On The 7/7 London Bombings