John Quigley aerial event at Tara/ Harpists at the Dáil

international | miscellaneous | news report

Saturday September 15, 2007 00:09

by Muireann Ni Bhrolchain - Campaign to Save Tara

Stuart Townsend at Hill of Tara 23rd September

The Campaign to Save Tara would like to officially announce that John Quigley, an internationally renowned aerial artist, as well as Stuart Townsend will be creating a piece of human aerial art on the Hill of Tara on Sunday 23rd September.

A poster for Harp event in America

People wanted to help create an aerial art event at Tara on that day - meeting at 3pm in the car park.
Wear white
Bring rain gear to sit on.
Join us in creating a striking human aerial image to tell the world about the destruction of the Gabhra Valley.
Photo will be created by internationally renowned aerial artist John Quigley.

We need between 500-1000 people to spell out the words SAVE TARA VALLEY and the outline of a harp on the hill.
To see John Quigley's work visit his website: http://www.spectralq.com/

To give you some background - the first suggestion of this event arose in March of this year when Stuart approached me. Then John Quigley and himself came back with a firmer suggestion in August.
The original date was to be the 22nd Sept but that clashed with the Harpists event that is taking shape at present and spreading to America. We tried to change the date to 29th Sept but there were flight complications for those involved.
A number of phone conversations took place between the co-ordinator of CST and John Quigley over the past week. Then we had a phone conferencing call last night with Stuart John and myself and filled the co-ordinator in on the result.
We had a meeting tonight to iron out the details.
We will need about 30 volunteers to help shape the people into letters as well.
A press release will go out in the next few days.

We would also like to draw attention to the Harpists event at the Dail on Saturday 22nd September - this is their press release.
On Saturday 22nd September 2007 at 3 p.m. the harpers of Ireland will gather at Dáil Éireann to demonstrate publicly the strength of their opposition to the destruction of historic cultural sites at the Tara/Skryne Valley as a result of the current route of the M3 motorway. The harpers will assemble with their harps along Kildare Street, and will submit a petition to Minister John Gormley insisting he implement alternatives to the continued destruction which is taking place.
Ireland is unique in having a musical instrument, the harp, as its national emblem. This indicates the primacy of the harp in Irish culture. The sites currently under threat are inextricably linked with the harping and bardic traditions for more than 2,500 years.
Tara was the gathering place for thousands of harpers to 142 kings, and the harp was an integral part of the ancient Irish parliament at Tara. The harp has been used in the coat of arms of Ireland since 1270 and is the symbol of the Irish State today. It is found in the seals of the President, Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Government Ministers, on State currency and is the insignia of the Irish Law Courts.
It is an outrage that the Irish people should be forced to choose between infrastructure and heritage. As a country we are embarrassed internationally by profit-driven, shortsighted planning as exemplified by the fact that World Monument Fund has placed Tara on its list of 100 most endangered sites worldwide.
Many can rightly point out that it would be an archaeological loss, and a historical one. It is also a spiritual loss, since even before the conversion by St Patrick of Ireland’s High Kings it was a place where the Irish sought to express their spirituality. And significantly for us as a nation, it was the place of birth of Christianity in Ireland. The gathering of harpers says that it is also a musical and cultural loss and asserts that the sound of Tara’s harp will not be drowned by traffic jams and the cash registers of toll plazas.
Further information from www.myspace.com/TaraHarpers
Laoise Kelly Tel. 086 2603405 or laoise.kelly@face.ie
Anne-Marie O’Farrell 01-2966222 or 087-2348964 or amofharp@iol.ie
www.myspace.com/TaraHarpers)

Sat 22nd Sep 2007:
New York Tara demo is at 11am Consulate General of Ireland 345 Park Avenue between 51st and 52nd (Susan McKeown 2122602302 sumckeown@yahoo.com – www.myspace.com/TaraHarpersNY)
LA Tara demo is at 2.30-5.30pm Martin Luther King Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA (Karin Wilson (310) 828-3873 kw@cmh2.com)
Chicago Tara demo is at 12 Noon-2pm Irish Embassy, Wrigley Building, 400 N.Michigan Avenue at the Chicago River (Richard Wallace 312-855-1300 ricoworld@ameritech.net – www.myspace.com/32fields)
Dublin Harpers for Tara demo at 3pm Dáil Éireann Kildare st.

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Direct Link to this video

by KOM

Fri Nov 02, 2007 09:53

Video: Tara: Voices From Our Past

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.indiv...95848

New Video - Tara: Voices From Our Past

New film on Tara

by M. Ni Bhrolchain

Fri Nov 02, 2007 08:32

There is a new short film here on Tara and an interpretation of the decorations on the stone in the Mound of the Hostages.

http://www.globalartscollective.org/acf/about.htm
Just click on the link to the film on the site.

Harpers for Tara outside the Dáil

by Fred Johnston

Mon Sep 24, 2007 13:06

sylfredcar at iolfree dot ie

087.2178138

Great to see things turned out so well at Tara! I wasn't able to go there but I attended the harpers' gathering in Dublin on Saturday - see also the post under Comment: 'Images from Love Tara 2'. What this event, and the otehrs that linked with it, signifies, is the desire of many of our artists to come together to save a national heritage spot. I would ask that Aosdána and the Irish Writers' Union be approached and asked to do the same thing; to make a gesture, by letter or statement to the press. It is the duty of poets to protest against such outrages as the one the Government would perpetrate at Tara. The powers-that-be got away with it 'way back when Wood Quay was the issue in Dublin. It should not happen again.

Paddy Maloney whistling for Tara at the Dublin gathering of harpers - photo Fred Johnston

Well done!

by A Friend of Tara

Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:36

Well done to all the organizers and participants of the event. Some of th colourful characters currently encamped on the Hill added a special flair to the event. Seno portraying the Green Man, Taurus as usually being himself and Tara Cannon once again successfully slipping in to the role of the Poison Dwarf. Well done to all of you.

it's great to see so many women & a few men plucking their G-strings for Tara.

by cacophonist

Sun Sep 23, 2007 18:12

I'm sure Sidonie Goossens would have been proud that in instrument which was almost forgotten has now found not only so many skilled practioners but that they are working to save our heritage.
Little link of harpist interest to the obituary of Sidonie Goossens from the archive http://www.indymedia.ie/article/67963

I always thought about this

by atomised

Sun Sep 23, 2007 00:11

that the trick was to get a large crowd to tara and call criminals what they are

And finally

Sat Sep 22, 2007 23:32

Just as Laoise was going to wind up, John Quigley and Stuart Townsend were spotted. Stuart had not really planned on speaking but he did, passionately as usual, and he plugged the Meath Master Plan. The creators were listening, Brian Guckian and Tadhg Crowley who presented their plan in Meath on Thursday night. They also presented it in Dublin at the end of August.
The media buzz was palpable as Stuart appeared - he was grabbed by media all over the place, beseiged by autograph hunters and admirers all around. He dealt with all this with his usual calm approach.
The Money Mad Mile was played over the PA afterwards.
There were 3 independent film crews there and they will also help out tomorrow. Thanks guys.
People did not want to leave, they hung around for ages afterwards, chatting, hoping.
Another peak in the campaign to save Tara.
Then we repaired to Buswells for a well earned meal and planned for the next big event tomorrow.
And to think that I said to Stuart when he first mooted the aerial event in March that the whole thing would be over!
Its only starting globally!
Waiting to hear and see footage of the American event.
Don't forget - Tara tomorrow. 1.30-3.30pm. We have white boiler suits.
Fingers crossed for good weather,

Congratulations to Vincent and TaraWatch - the statement from the WMF is so strong. Coming on the same day as the harpers - headline news on RTÉ all day. Well done.

Close up of the Green Man

Stuart Townsend at the Dáil

Stuart speaking at the Dáil

Stuart being interviewed at the Dáil

More speakers

by M. Ni Bhrolchain - Campaign to Save Tara

Sat Sep 22, 2007 23:19

It was just wonderful to have the legendary Paddy Maloney present to speak and to play - not the harp - but that was allowed. He is Paddy Maloney after all! He spoke of people asking him world wide what was going on in Ireland and what was the Government at?
He was followed by independent MEP Kathy Sinnott who spoke of the illegality of the work that is going on. As you all know the EU have said that Ireland will probably appear in the European Court of Justice.
The Green Man reminded us by his presence of the the environmental aspects of this disastrous project.

The Green Man was there

Muireann speaking

Paddy Maloney of the Chieftains speaking

Paddy Maloney playing the tin whistle for us

Kathy Sinnott speaking

Harpers gather

Sat Sep 22, 2007 23:11

The pictures say it all - the harpers just kept arriving!
The speakers included M. Ní Bhrolcháin (yes myself!)

Harpers playing 22 Sept 07

Harpers playing to the media

Lots of harpers 22 Sept 07

Surrounded by harpers

Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin speaking at the event

A report on the Harpers at the Dáil

Sat Sep 22, 2007 23:03

What a wonderful event today was and congratulations to the organisers Laoise and Ann Marie. They got the harpers there with all sizes of harps. It was magical to hear the music outside the Dáil - I hope it reverberates around the world. They got the crowds there but even more importantly, they got more media than I have ever seen at a Save Tara event.
Steve Cooney, writer of the song Money mad mile, acted as sound man for the event. Padraigín Ní Uallacháin the singer was present as well as many long time supporters of the campaign. From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank you all for coming out and now please come to the Hill herself tomorrow to form the Human Harp and the message SAVE TARA VALLEY.

Laoise Kelly co-organiser interviewed

Laoise introducing the speakers

Laoise and Ann Marie co-organisers

Laoise Kelly co-organiser

Steve Cooney soundman for the event

An image

Thu Sep 20, 2007 14:40

That J. Quigley image again.

John Quigley's work

Harpers and Aerial Art event

Thu Sep 20, 2007 14:37

PRESS RELEASE – CAMPAIGN TO SAVE TARA
Tara celebration equinox weekend – Harpers of Ireland at Dáil/
Form a giant harp on Tara with Stuart Townsend and Jonathan Rhys Meyers

The people of Ireland have two opportunities to protest for Tara’s landscape in a peaceful, productive and pleasant way this weekend.
On Saturday 22nd September 2007 at 3 p.m. harpers of Ireland will gather at Dáil Éireann to demonstrate publicly the strength of their opposition to the current destruction of historic, cultural sites at the Tara/Skryne Valley. The harpers will assemble with their harps along Kildare Street and call on the government to implement alternatives to the continued destruction that is taking place.
The speakers include Kathy Sinnott MEP, actor Stuart Townsend, Paddy Moloney of the Chieftains, campaigner Dr Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin, harper Anne-Marie O’Farrell and introduced by Laoise Kelly harper. Massed harpers will perform The Harp that Once Through Tara’s Halls along with other harp pieces to include Brian Boru’s March, An Ghaoth Aneas, and Carolan’s Concerto. Petitions will be available for signing and will be submitted to Minister for the environment John Gormley the following Monday.

On Sunday 23rd September hundreds of people will gather at the Hill of Tara to celebrate our shared heritage and create the world’s first GIANT HUMAN HARP.
People are asked to gather from 1.30pm to form the harp and the message SAVE TARA VALLEY. This event will be directed by the internationally renowned Aerial artist John Quigley and will include Irish-born film stars Stuart Townsend and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The image will be photographed from an aircraft. Participants are asked to wear white clothing and to bring rain gear. Mr. Quigley has created similar human 'aerial art' images all over the world including the Artic, the Amazon rain forest and Antarctica where 35 people spelt out SOS. The public are asked to leave the Hill as they find it: “Take nothing but memories - leave nothing but footprints.”
To see images visit http://www.spectralq.com/

Ireland is unique in having a musical instrument, the harp, as its national emblem. This indicates the primacy of the harp in Irish culture. The sites currently under threat are inextricably linked with the harping and bardic traditions for more than 2,500 years. The harp has been used in the coat of arms of Ireland since 1270 and is the symbol of the Irish State today. It is found in the seals of the President, Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Government Ministers, on State currency and is the insignia of the Irish Law Courts.
It is an outrage that the Irish people should be forced to choose between infrastructure and heritage. As a country we are embarrassed internationally by profit-driven, shortsighted planning as exemplified by the fact that the World Monument Fund has placed Tara on its list of 100 most endangered sites worldwide.
This would not only be an archaeological and historical loss but it is also a spiritual loss - before the conversion by St Patrick of Ireland’s High Kings it was a place where the Irish sought to express their spirituality. And significantly for us as a nation, it was the place of birth of Christianity in Ireland.
The gathering of harpers says that it is also a musical and cultural loss and asserts that the sound of Tara’s harp will not be drowned by traffic jams and the cash registers of toll plazas.
On Saturday 22nd September there will a similar Tara demonstration at 11am at the Consulate General of Ireland 345 Park Avenue between 51st and 52nd, New York. The internationally renowned poet, Paul Muldoon, will speak.
Contact Susan McKeown savetarany@yahoo.com
www.myspace.com/TaraHarpersNY
Another demonstration will take place at 2.30-5.30pm Martin Luther King Auditorium, Santa Monica.
See details at : www.cmh2.com/savetara-la . For more info Contact Karin Wilson, event coordination email: kw@cmh2.com

Further information on Harper event from www.myspace.com/TaraHarpers
Laoise Kelly Tel. 086 2603405 or laoise.kelly@face.ie
Anne-Marie O’Farrell 01-2966222 or 087-2348964 or amofharp@iol.ie

For information on the Aerial Art Kevin Hayes: 086-2504564
Joanne Corbett 086-6030389
Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin 087-9249510

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John Quigley aerial event at Tara/ Harpists at the Dáil

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