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Tara destruction puts Government on road to ruin  THE
CONTROVERSY over the Hill of Tara and the construction of the nearby M3
motorway refuses to go away.
This is an issue which has attracted worldwide attention and energised
protesters both in Britain and Ireland.
Yet, it seems, the Irish Government is determined to cock a deaf ear to
the dissenting voices.
This week an Irish Post poll (see page 21) showed more than 80 per cent
of respondents were in favour of halting all construction of new roads
around the historic site.
In one of the largest responses we have ever received more than 3,000
people took part.
That opposition has been mirrored in previous petitions and online message
boards opposing routing a motorway past this historic archaeological treasure.
The extent of archaeological remains on the Hill of Tara — burial
mounds, religious enclosures, stone structures and rock art dating from
the third millennium BC to the 12th century AD — makes it Ireland’s
most spiritually and archaeologically significant site.
Even the European Commission has become embroiled in the argument by initiating
legal action against the Irish Government over the M3 — charging
it with failing to protect its own heritage.
Against this background the Government’s intransigence smacks of
nothing more than sheer bloody-mindedness. It seems Ministers are determined
not to be seen admitting they made a mistake.
But there is little doubt that the route chosen for the new M3 motorway
is a mistake of colossal proportions.
It is akin to Britain’s Department of Transport deciding to re-route
the M4 motorway so it passed close to the world famous stone circle at
Avebury.
To make matters worse the Irish Government could have easily ordered the
route of the M3 to be altered to ensure it avoided the Hill of Tara but
chose not to do so.
Instead they decided it was worth risking the destruction of one of the
world’s most important archaeological sites for the sake of so-called
progress.
Unfortunately, the folly of this decision will only be truly appreciated
in years to come when people see what has been lost forever.
The protesters still battling to stop the new highway are hopeful they
may yet succeed — although time is running out.
For the sake of future generations and all those who value Ireland’s
history it is to be hoped they do succeed.
Salary shenanigans
SO the search for a new Irish soccer boss has finally borne fruit with
the appointment of Giovanni Trapattoni.
But the FAI being the FAI, the saga couldn’t come to an end without
a twist — namely the fact that part of the Italian’s salary
will be funded by telecoms and media billionaire Denis O’Brien.
Nothing wrong with that in itself. But it’s a stark indication of
just how much money is now swilling around the game that the football
association of one of the richest countries in Europe has to turn to a
rich businessman to fund the appointment of their manager.
Still, if Giovanni can bring success will we care?
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