The M3 heritage trail

Article by Joe Fenwick, archaeologist.

The M3 motorway continues to reveal new archaeological wonders as its broad corridor progresses relentlessly through Tara's Gabhra Valley. In the townland of Lismullin alone, in an attempt to steer a course to avoid a known Barrow, Souterrain, monastic site and the strategically placed fortification of Rath Lugh (recently subject to a Preservation Order), the motorway route has inadvertently impacted on several other previously unrecorded and equally significant archaeological remains. These include a Ring-Barrow, a complex of Souterrains and, of course, an Iron Age Temple. The Temple was declared a National Monument earlier this year, has since been "preserved by record" and awaits the Bulldozers Bucket.
Attention has now shifted to the nearby Souterrains, a subterranean complex of artificial passages and chambers dating to the Early Historic period (2nd. half of the 1st. millennium AD), which are currently being systematically dismantled.
During the course of recent work, a capstone bearing megalithic art has come to light. Megalithic art, like that at Newgrange, dates to the Neolithic Period (the fourth millennium BC) and so this stone is clearly not in it's original context. It must therefore have been acquired from a conveniently close at hand Passage Tomb.
Though this example, consisting of concentric circles, nested arcs and zig zags, bears similarity in style to the decorated stone in the Mound of the Hostages (on the summit of the Hill of Tara), it is unlikely to have come from this particular Monument. Perhaps one of the (as yet) unclassified Mounds to be found in the Gabhra Valley is the original source of this stone.
Sadly, but as forewarned, the course of the M3 motorway through the heart of Tara's royal demesne has struck an exceptionally rich archaeological seam.

© Village Magazine, January 2008.

Megalithic Art Found at Lismullen Souterrain, Tara

PRESS RELEASE – SAVE TARA CAMPAIGN
The Save Tara campaign has learned that a decorated stone bearing megalithic art similar to that at Newgrange and Knowth (of Neolithic date c.3000 B.C.) has been found incorporated into part of an Early Historic souterrain currently being dismantled as part of the M3 archaeological works in the vicinity of the henge at Lismullin, in the Gabhra Valley, County Meath. The nearest example of megalithic art is to be found in the passage tomb of the Mound of the Hostages on the summit of the Hill of Tara and in terms of style this example also bears a remarkable similarity to that found in this monument. The decorated stone was noticed on Friday (30 November) by campaigners who took the accompanying photographs over the weekend. It exhibits a series of motifs commonly found in passage tomb contexts - concentric circles, nested arcs and zig-zags. It is likely this stone was robbed from a nearby passage tomb during the construction of the souterrain in the early centuries AD. Indeed, it has been suggested that the large mound in the grounds of LismullIn house may be that of a passage tomb. The promontory fort of Rath Lugh (under temporary preservation order) overlooks the henge (a declared national monument) and the souterrain complex that have been unearthed at Lismullin and the discovery of the stone is further evidence of the importance of this area and its continued use through the millennia of Irish history. The excavation of the henge and the souterrain continues and will probably be completed before Christmas. This will allow the NRA to begin the construction phase of the motorway in this delicate and sensitive area of the Gabhra Valley. The motorway will pass within 20/30m of the huge monument of Rath Lugh despite NRA assurances that it would be 110m away from it. The EU is taking Ireland to the European Court of Justice because of their ongoing breaches of various environmental directives in particularly in relation to Environmental Impact Statements. EU Environment Commissioner Dimas said in a recent press release:
"I am disappointed that Ireland has not accepted the Commission view that improvements are needed in its legislation on impact assessments in order to better safeguard, and give the public more say in decisions affecting, its rich archaeological heritage, and to better guarantee that industrial projects will be comprehensively assessed".
Save Tara campaigners are asking the EU and the Commissioner to take an injunction against the Irish Government to stop all attempts at construction in the short disputed section of the M3 in the GabhraValley until the ECJ has completed its deliberations on this case. Photographs available here:
http://service.gmx.net/de/cgi/derefer?TYPE=3&DEST=http%3A%2F%2Fs168.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fu167%2Fmuireanntemair%2FSouterrain%2520stone%25201%2520Dec%252007%2F