to Protections under the Shredded National Monument Act 2004. Apart from
this the integrity of the landscape comprises a whole and not as the government
in Ireland says '38 unrelated sites of little significance'
Collierstown is one of the sites and we were invited to speak to campaigners.
legal and media in the Glen of the Downs and have a little experience
in media isolation and brutality.
We went walkabout.
Collierstown comprises two sites (one and two) it is just beside
Baronstown 1 , another National monument; and in the schema to
bisect the Gabhra valley close to both Rathlugh and Lismullin.
Lismullin will probably be saved and 'interpreted' as the henge is on an opus
dei land mass and brings publicity and money to those who would profit
from it's advertisement. one campaign which has been involved in this
advertisement has a stromfront member. Ireland likes to think it is
white and Catholic.
Collierstown is one of the only examples of a French Gaul burial
ground in ireland. it is in a state of disrepair and bones are clearly
visible in the machine-left top-soil. the kids picked them out and we
photographed them. This raises genelogical questions about
cultural and burial methods which wil not be answered due
to the unholy rush for profit and land-grab that has dominated
this campaign.
The other Collierstown is a massive partially excavated site.
Both of them are the last point where a road can be re-routed.
12-15 people are holding it down, whilst the publicity is directed
to achievable norms and the political careers of the people who
want to save 'bits' of Tara.
The girls- particularly Debbie spent 27 hours sitting in front of a gate,
on her period and was dragged by the hair by a contracted worker
in the presence of an Irish Garda. since then she has asked their
advice on pressing charges and been facilitated.
The graves were stone lined and lay openly all over the top of the mound.
We were escorted off the site and when our escorts left we went back
to get photographic evidence of the abuse.
Dr Muireann Ni Bhrolochain from the Save Tara/CST campaign
is heading up the interviews for the media and protecting the
kids who are out there trying to do something about the
vandalism instigated by the State of Ireland in the name of
the car lobby and the re-zoners who will build a massive
interchange at Blundelsown and housing in the fields to accomodate
the urban spread and the refusal of the state to deal with issues
of social housing, environmental abuse and historical plunder.
We have an election today- this means until a new Dail is formed
both the campaigners and the valley are in considerable danger
of being vandalised beyond proof. Debbie has 700 collected photos
and is an excellent campaigner.