I saw this on RTE’s News website about the M3 motorway to be build near the Hill of Tara:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0430/m3.html
The Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, has turned the first sod for the M3 motorway just outside Navan, Co Meath. Organisers kept the event low key to avoid opponents to the project turning up.
The Hill of Tara was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland and is a world Heritage site. People opposing the motorway (highway for us here in North Amerika) claim the surrounding valley should be preserved as it probably contains aritifacts from ancient times. There has been a lot of protest against the motorway, both in Ireland & from abroad, and with different Government Departments fighting over it. The day after they turned the first sod this happens:
Prehistoric site discovery halts M3 work
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0501/meath.html
The Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, has ordered that work be stopped on the M3 motorway near Tara, Co Meath, because of the discovery of a substantial national monument. The archaeological site was discovered in Lismullen beside the Hill of Tara, and is said to be the size of three football fields.
And just so typical of Ireland, ignore the experts and the concerned public and destroy our heritage.
Update: More here from National Geographic:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070515-ireland-tara.html
Now RTE says only “some” work has been stopped:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0502/meath.html?rss
Even more detail here:
http://buckplanning.blogspot.com/2007/05/discovery-of-prehistoric-site-hits-tara.html