SAVE NEWGRANGE – PRESS RELEASE – 20 August 2010

“Boyne Valley Ranking in ‘Top Ten Hidden Beauty Spots in Ireland’ Welcomed”

Save Newgrange welcomes the publication today of the list of ‘Top Ten Hidden Beauty Spots in Ireland’, by the main Irish-American media outlet, Irish Central. All ten sites are described as being “Off the beaten track but more beautiful than ever.”

The article states: “We all know the Ireland of Saints and Scholars, Book of Kells, Guinness Storehouse and Dublin Castle, not to mention the Ring of Kerry and Cliffs of Moher. But what about a trip to the hidden Ireland, where few tourists go? Here are the top ten hidden beauty spots that will make your vacation there very special.”  Ranking at No. 10, the Boyne Valley is described as:

“Stretching through large parts of counties Louth and Meath an unparalleled area of great historical importance, minutes North from Dublin Airport.  Following the path of the Boyne River, Newgrange and other historical sites, including the Battle of the Boyne heritage site can be seen. Helpful road signs direct you to the highlights.”

The ranking shows how important the Boyne Valley is to both Irish tourism and the Irish abroad, and reinforces how every effort must be made to preserve the delicate natural beauty and cultural sites in the area.

Vincent Salafia of Save Newgange said:  “We are delighted that Irish Central has recognised the importance of Newgrange, since this supports our arguments for preservation.  Save Newgrange will use this ranking as evidence at the An Bord Pleanala hearing for the N2 Slane bypass, expected to take place in the coming months.  Save Newgrange is also asking Irish Central to publicize the Irish Heritage Rights survey, which is being promoted during Heritage Week, so Irish abroad have an opportunity to have their say with the UN.

SAVE NEWGRANGE – PRESS RELEASE – 20 August 2010

‘Critics Invited to Fill out UN Heritage Rights Survey Online During Heritage Week’

To mark the beginning of Heritage Week tomorrow, Save Newgrange is launching an online survey drive today, asking both critics and supporters for their viewpoints on their heritage rights.  The survey was drafted in co-operation with lawyers at the 2048 Project in University of California, Berkeley, and asks people how they feel about their human rights to heritage, particularly with regards to controversial sites like Brú na Bóinne, Carrickmines Castle and the Hill of Tara, and asks whether the legal protections and public consultations in Ireland are adequate.

The results will be sent to the Human Rights Committee in the United Nations, which monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
We are asking the Committee to issue recommendations to the Republic of Ireland concerning its human rights obligations to protect Irish peoples’ rights to family, privacy, judicial remedy, religion, peaceful assembly and freedom of expression in conjunction with ancestral heritage sites.  A full range of viewpoints is essential, in order to give an accurate picture of the the factors that have led to the heritage controversies in Ireland, including the recent bulldozing of two ring-forts in Macroom, Co. Cork.

Matt Schwoebel of UC Berkeley said:

“We have been watching dispute after dispute over heritage in Ireland, for the last decade, and want to help prevent such disputes from taking place in the future.  We welcome the full range of opinions, in order to better understand the reasons they keep happening, and why people get so entrenched on both sides of the issues.

Vincent Salafia of Save Newgrange said:

“It is important that these issues are debated openly during Heritage Week. Anyone can fill out the survey at savenewgrange.org.  We have written to our critics on the Bypass Slane Campaign Facebook group, and invited them to participate in the survey.  Over 10,000 supporters on our own Facebook group have been asked to mobilize online and spread the word about the survey during Heritage Week.

ENDS

CONTACT: Vincent Salafia 087-132-3365

Save Newgrange and TaraWatch, in co-operation with Matt Schwoebel of the 2048 Project at University of California, Berkeley, are launching an online petition drive on Friday, 21st August, to mark the beginning of Heritage Week in Ireland. We are asking people to complete the Irish Heritage Rights Survey, which will be sent to the Human Rights Committee in the United Nations, which monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. If you are concerned that Irish heritage is not getting adequately protected, particularly when it comes to majorly important sites like Bru na Boinne and the Hill of Tara, then please fill out the survey and pass it on to your friends and contacts. Thank you.

An Bord Pleanála considers alternative route for Slane bypass west of village

The Irish Times – Friday, July 2, 2010
ELAINE KEOGH

AN BORD Pleanála is considering changing the route of a Slane bypass so it will run west of the village but this will bring it just 500m from Slane Castle and its famous concert site. Meath County Council has applied for planning permission for a 3.5km route to the east of the village which is on the N2 and has been the scene of multiple fatal accidents.  The planning board confirmed it has received 110 submissions on the proposed eastern route and has now asked the council to give it more information on a possible route to the west.  A spokesman said: “The board wants to satisfy itself that the alternatives were discounted; it is exploring all options and ensuring other alternatives were explored.”

The route put forward by the council includes a new 19m high bridge 1km east of Slane but the dual-carriageway would pass some 500m from the buffer zone of Brú na Boinne, the world heritage site that is home to Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. The provisional path of the western route would involve demolishing some local businesses and has met with strong opposition from the landowners involved, including the Conyngham family who own Slane Castle.  “If they think I am a pushover they have another thing coming,” said Sir Henry Mountcharles, who spent 10 years restoring Slane Castle after it was gutted by fire in 1991.

Paddy Macken’s family have been living at Harlinstown for over 70 years and have three family businesses there, including Slane Farm cottages and hostel.  “This route would wipe out a lifetime’s work by my parents, me and my children. The route would go through the yard and house and takes the lot out,” he said yesterday. “It is just not a viable option; it looks to be three times longer and the terrain is totally unsuitable and impractical. “It doesn’t make sense and is squandering money,” Mr Mcken said.

An Bord Pleanála says the planning process is “in its infancy”, and no decision had been made on whether to hold an oral hearing into the proposed route. However, locals believe the date for a hearing is imminent, and fear a new route will delay the building of the bypass and risk more crashes. Slane councillor Wayne Harding (FF) said: “The best route has been picked; it has taken more than 10 years to get to this stage; the people of Slane have waited long enough.”

According to Sir Henry serious questions have to be answered about “a planning process that can take us back to stage one again and delay the building of the road.Meath County Council discounted this route years ago based on its feasibility study. To propose this now is nothing short of lunacy.” Meath County Council said: “An Bord Pleanála has requested further information on the Slane bypass scheme and one of the questions relates to details of the examination of an alternative route to the west of the village. A response is being prepared to that letter.”

WRITE TO lettersed@irishtimes.com

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Battle lines over by-pass drawn – BBC NI News  – 1 June 2010

Villagers in Slane, County Meath, on the main Londonderry to Dublin road, have long campaigned for a bypass – 22 people have been killed there in the last 20 years. But as BBC NI Dublin correspondent Shane Harrison now reports, heritage campaigners believe the planned bypass is too close to ancient monuments like Newgrange.  Slane, with its many hanging baskets, is a pretty place, especially when it’s bathed in sunshine.But the village, famous for rock concerts by the green grassy slopes of the Boyne, has a steep descent to the river and many a truck has had problems braking before its narrow bridge. Villagers like Michele Power has her own reasons for wanting a by-pass.

In March of last year she and her toddler daughter had, in her words, a miraculous escape when a truck crashed. Motorists encounter a steep hill, before crossing a narrow bridge Motorists encounter a steep hill, before crossing a narrow bridge. She said she and Trudy had just finished the school run when she heard a lot of bangs.”I looked in my rear view mirror when I saw a truck coming up behind me pushing a load of cars in my direction.
“It was very scary and I really thought we were going to die,” she added.

Motorists passing through the village see 22 white crosses nailed to a stone wall, a reminder about the number of people killed in traffic accidents in Slane over the last two decades. Joanne Macken, a self-catering accommodation provider, believes a bypass is essential. “The amount of traffic and lorries is just ruining the village and there have been so many deaths and accidents the sooner we get it the better,” she said.

Peadar Hevey, whose house overlooks the bridge, said he has seen so many accidents there that as soon as he hears the familiar bang associated with a crash he just rings “999 before going to see the extent of the injuries. I’ve seen 95% of all the crashes there”. While there’s an acceptance that the village on the main Dublin to Derry road needs to do something about its traffic problem some business people quietly mutter that now in these recessionary times is not the right moment for a bypass that would take away passing trade.  Some think a by-pass would disturb archaeological sites like Newgrange. Nonsense, said Brian McIvor, who runs his own training company. “The 1,100 trucks that pass through Slane every day do not do business in Slane. So, that argument does not stack up,” he said.

The Republic’s National Roads Authority, the NRA, wants to build a dual carriage-way by-pass across the Boyne, not too far from Bru na Boinne, the World Heritage site that includes the ancient monuments of Knowth, Dowth and Newgrange.For campaigners like Vincent Salafia that is just too much. He says the bypass would “impact on at least 44 archaeological sites which are probably part of the complex itself”. “We also feel the consultation that is being done for the development should have been north-south because the road goes from north to south and the people of Northern Ireland should have a say about what happens to a world heritage site,” he added.

Conor Brady, a villager, can see both sides of the argument because his wife suffered minor injuries in a road accident in Slane and he lectures in archaeology. But he he said the proposed bypass “is outside the buffer zone”. “The buffer zone isn’t officially part of the world heritage site,” said Mr Brady. “When they set up the site this buffer zone was set up to protect the heritage in terms of views and impact of development.” With no decision imminent on whether the Slane bypass will go ahead, the battle lines are now drawn. Once again difficult issues like road safety and protecting heritage appear set on a collision course – it’s a very modern Irish story.

Board seeks more technical information on Slane bypass

Meath Chronicle: Wednesday, 26th May, 2010 4:56pm

A request by Bord Pleanala for further information on the Slane bypass has been welcomed by local councillor, Wayne Harding, who said it would help clear up a number of issues.  Stressing the need to proceed with the project as quickly as possible, Cllr Harding pointed out that the board has sought further information on proposed routes to the west of the village. The route which is currently the subject of a planning application runs east of the village.

“The board sought more technical information on routes to the west. I have no problem with that as it will show that the route to the west is not viable,” he said. “I want to see as much information as possible forwarded to Bord Pleanala. The more information sought and the more elaborate the plan, the better the scheme will be and it will be better for Slane,” Cllr Harding added.  Cllr Harding said it was very important that the scheme proceeds as quickly as possible because of the dangers facing the people of Slane and those travelling through the village very day. Meanwhile, Bord Pleanala has confirmed that there will be an oral hearing on the N2 Slane bypass in the coming months, but a date has yet to be fixed.

The Save Newgrange Campaign had made written objections to the scheme, and filed an EU complaint about the development. Save Newgrange is also calling on the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, to immediately present the National Monuments Bill to the Oireachtas for passage, in order to protect the Bru na Boinne UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The group is also calling on the minister to make his position on the bypass known before planning permission is granted. Minister Gormley announced that the Bill was approved by the Government last month but it has not gone before the Oireachtas.

Save Newgrange spokesman, Vincent Salafia, said: “The minister must immediately present the Bill for passage, or it is likely that Bord Pleanala will approve the N2 route, leading to long delays due to protest and legal action.  “The Bill is already years overdue, and it must be passed before the Dail breaks for summer, or Bru na Boinne will be under threat. The minister must also take a position on the N2 route now, so as to inform An Bord Pleanala in their decision-making. We don’t want a repeat of Tara,” he added.

WRITE TO ken@meathchronicle.ie

Non Technical Summary 6.6 mb

Environmental Impact Statement Vol 1 20.7 mb

Environmental Impact Statement Vol-2 316 mb

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