| Mysterious disappearance of Hill of Tara monument will cause 'world of
trouble' Jamie Deasy GARDAI in Co Meath are investigating the mysterious disappearance of a commemorative monument situated on the Hill of Tara, dedicated to those killed in a battle with the British army during the ill-fated 1798 rebellion. The memorial stone was built into a wall on the roadside on the border between the townlands of Odder and Castleboy on the Hill of Tara. The inscription on the granite memorial stone read: "1798-1998 In memory of the Croppies who gave their lives for Ireland, 26 May 1798 Erin Go Bragh." The five-feet by three-feet granite monument, erected in 1998 by a group called Comoradh Rioch na Mhi, also depicted a pike, which was the weapon most commonly used by the ill-equipped patriots. Speaking to the Sunday Tribune, Patrick Pryle, one of the founding members of Comoradh Rioch na Mhi and a resident of Skyrne, said whoever removed the memorial had wiped out all traces of its existence. "Someone has pulled out the bank where the memorial was located, it has been re-landscaped and grass seed has been sown on it, " he said. "There is going to be a world of trouble about this. I have got calls from pike groups in Wexford who are going to organise buses to come up here and protest. These people consider Tara to be sacred. They set up groups to commemorate the rebellion in Wexford. He added that he has written to the Office of Public Works, the Meath county manager and the chief superintendent of the gardai in Navan asking them to investigate the matter. "The attack on this monument is a direct attack on the state, its laws, its institutions and our own very freedom. The men, women and children who lie in those unmarked graves have earned our respect and they should be allowed to lie in peace, " he continued. "It is sacred land and it is under the protection of the state and it is up to the state to protect its own property and the memory of these people who died for Ireland." The Hill of Tara played a central role in the failed rebellion organized by the United Irishmen. On 26 May 1798, in one of the most significant incidents of the revolt, some 5,000 natives of counties Meath, Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare and Westmeath assembled on the Hill of Tara to support the insurrection. However, like in most other parts of the country, the crown forces defeated the rebels and it is estimated up to 400 of them were killed on the Hill of Tara where they still lay buried to this day in unmarked graves. The 1798 rebellion was probably the bloodiest outbreak of violence in Irish history and resulted in an estimated 15,000-30,000 deaths over a three-month period. A spokesperson for the Office of Public Works said they were investigating the matter and were attempting to establish whether the memorial was located on public land. Sergeant Tom Flynn at Navan garda station also confirmed the gardai are investigating the case. He urged anyone with information to contact Navan gardai at 046 9079930. http://www.tribune. 20News&id=87212& http://www.tribune. Contact the editors Please email only the specific person or department you wish to reach. If you are unsure who to contact, send your email to webhelp@tribune. Noirin Hegarty, editor of The Sunday Tribune, can be contacted at nhegarty@tribune. To reach The Sunday Tribune newsdesk, contact Newsdesk@tribune. |
