Here Is The Human Harp On Tara, Sept: 23rd 2008

Photographed published by the Irish Independent.

I am laying on towards the bottom right of the second A in the word TARA. You might see the black dot to the left of where I am laying as that is my video camera case.

Quotes from the Irish Independent report from the morning of Monday September 24th

“Over 3,000 people posed for an unprecedented aerial shot at the ancient site in protest at plans to site the M3 motorway nearby.”

(I would say it was more like 1000 people)

“Townsend had a guiding hand in the proceedings and even brought in a pal to snap the spectacular formation from a helicopter, (referring to Stuart Townshend).”

“They were in for another A-list surprise when the not unpleasant shape of actor and Hugo Boss 'face' Jonathan Rhys Meyers also appeared on the sacred ground. The actor, who has more recently been travelling through time to the era of the Tudors for a TV series, was able to put the authoritarian skills he developed as Henry VIII to good use as he roused the Tara campaigners.

Despite his opposition to the motorway, he was compassionate about the predicament faced by the new Green Environment Minister and invited John Gormley to meet him to discuss an alternative plan for Tara.

"I'm sure he's a good guy and will try to do his best but in a way his hands are tied behind his back," he said. "His party does not have many seats and that probably curtails his power.

"Politics is politics and who knows what pressure John Gormley's under. I really hope he considers the Tarawatch plan and there is a breakthrough."”

Photographed by Paula Geraghty/PA and published by Irish Times

Quotes from the Irish Times report from the morning of Monday September 24^th.

“Hundreds of people wearing white formed the shape of a harp at the Hill of Tara yesterday.”

“Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Hill of Tara in Co Meath yesterday to form "the world's first giant human harp" photographed from the air. The event was designed to promote the campaign to reroute the M3 motorway.”

“Those who took part in the elaborate aerial art exercise were requested to dress in white and to take nothing but memories and leave nothing but footprints on the Tara site.

Amongst the participants were Irish actors Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Stuart Townsend.

The gathering was directed by the internationally renowned aerial artist John Quigley, who has completed similar aerial works in the Arctic, the Amazon rain forest and Antarctica.”

"Ireland is unique in having a musical instrument, the harp, as its national emblem," harper Laoise Kelly said.

"This shows the importance of the harp in Irish culture. The sites currently under threat have been linked with harping and bardic traditions for more than 2,500 years."

“Townsend said he understood how the locals did not want to spend time in traffic but he said there was a need to balance infrastructural progress "with environmental and heritage protection".”

"I love visiting Tara. I find it a very spiritual and powerful place. "I couldn't bear the thought of hearing traffic in such a peaceful place. I would urge both the Government and public to take a look at the Meath Masterplan which is an excellent alternative," he said.

The plan includes upgraded coach services and a rail link to serve the expanding towns of Ashbourne, Ratoath, Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells. It also suggests the conversion of the M3 to a toll-free road and modifying part of the route to protect the Tara landscape.”

Here’s the link to info on the Meath Masterplan

Overall Save Tara info and links

For the front line activist web site and info
I met some of these folks and they are both tough and monastic.