Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 15:52:50 +0000
From: salafiam@...
Subject: Re: Action Alert / Hill of Tara - letters needed

Hi Ellen,

Thanks for the letter! Can you please add one or two items in future?

1. The text of the letter that was printed in the Irish Independent and the
Irish Examiner. (below)


2. You wrote:

> If you wish further information, or wish to confirm that this is not just
> another internet scam, go to taraskreen@ yahoogroups.com


Please use the link http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taraskreen/ and web site
http://www.taraskreen.org (even though it needs updating, it has thelink to
the
discussion group and will fully operative soon.

Good on ya! ;-)

Irish Independent
Thu, Nov 20 03

Do not destroy the Hill of Tara

Sir - The Hill of Tara constitutes the heart and soul of Ireland. Its very
name
invokes the spirit and mystique of our people and is instantly recognisable
worldwide. The plan approved recently by An Bord Pleanála for the M3
motorway
to dissect the Tara-Skryne valley, Ireland's premier national monument,
spells
out a massive national and international tragedy that must be averted.

The area surrounding the Hills of Tara and Skryne is one of the most
culturally
and archaeologically significant in the world. Predating the Egyptian
pyramids,
the chamber within Tara's Mound of the Hostages is perfectly aligned with
the
full moon of Lughnasa and the rising sun of Samhain and Imbolg. But we are
only
just beginning to understand and appreciate how the mound relates to the
hundreds of other monuments of this area, many of which will be destroyed if
the valley is sliced in two.

Executing An Bord Pleanala's plan will involve spending over ?1 billion of
Irish and European taxpayers' money. Of this, tens of millions of euro will
be
spent 'recording' what should be left 'in situ', according to stated
Government
policy and the Valetta Convention (European Convention on the Protection of
the
Archaeological Heritage). Moreover, in the rush to build the motorway,
unforgiving contract deadlines will compromise the proper investigation of
significant archaeological finds.

We call on the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, the Minister for Transport, Seamus
Brennan, and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local
Government,
Martin Cullen, to overturn this decision and consider the many intelligent
options that are still available. These include: the realignment of the
existing N3, as per the original advertised plan; the reopening of the
Navan-
Dublin railway line, which is widely supported in the locality; or simply
moving the M3 away from this delicate archaeological landscape.

We ask these public servants to place these options before the people of
Ireland in an open and democratic manner and let us decide how best to spend
Irish taxpayers' money.

Dr Muireann Ni Bhrolchain, NUI Maynooth;
Prof Tomas O Cathasaigh, Harvard University;
Mairead Carew, archaeologist and writer;
Dr Howard Clarke, UCD;
Donnchadh O Corrain, UCC;
Dáibhí O Croinin, NUI, Galway;
Prof Thomas Charles-Edwards, Oxford University;
Maire Herbert, UCC;
Prof Joseph Nagy, University of California;
M Vincent Salafia, Brehon Law Project;
Dr Alfred Smyth, Canterbury University;
Prof Ruairi O hUiginn, NUI, Maynooth



__________________________________________
Ellen Evert Hopman, herbalist and Druid Priestess is the author of Tree
Medicine-Tree Magic,
A Druids Herbal - For The Sacred Earth Year, Being a Pagan - Druids, Wiccans
and Witches Today (with Lawrence Bond), and Walking The World In Wonder - A
Children's Herbal. Her herbal and Pagan videos, audio tapes and books
can be found on line at:
http://saille333.home.mindspring.com/willow.html