Workers destroy Baronstown at 4am

international | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday July 04, 2007 18:46 by Roestown

Under cover of moonlight

The SIAC/Ferrovial construction company, Eurolink, resorted to underhand tactics in the early hours of Wednesday morning July 4th when they arrived at Baronstown, reportedly, at 4am with machines to destroy the monument there. This may very well have been a National Monument along with the extraordinary graveyard at Collierstown.

Baronstown in April 2007

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Baronstown is one of the closest sites to the Lismullin National Monument, the recently discovered henge, and this move shows the frustration of the company with the protesters who had prevented any destruction in the Valley for weeks now.
The tone of the workers has changed as well, today one man was assaulted – something that has not happened since the very beginning of the protest. The protesters were told by an engineer that the move on Baronstown was a “hush-hush” operation and only those workers who were involved were told that it would happen.
They were also told that a bulldozer that was being moved from the site fell off the lowloader on the N3 and if it had been moving in the opposite direction it would have fallen on the oncoming traffic. Some weeks ago, the machine that was moved into Baronstown broke down immediately.
At another site in Ardsallagh (on the road beside Tara na Rí pub) there is a planning permission sign erected by Ferrovial.
In another sinister move, the protesters are being filmed by a TV size camera mounted on a truck and each worker now has a digital camera documenting every move.
The locals around Trevet are also complaining about the work that is being carried out at night in the area and about the fact that their drinking water is being affected by the work in this area. They are organising a public meeting in Swans pub on Monday 9th July to discuss these problems.
There seems to be a general frustration with the protesters and one man was assaulted by a worker for the first time in weeks. They appear to be lashing out at people in a new way.
Trevet, where the drainage system was found some weeks ago, is now a small lake and despite their attempts to drain the area it is completely waterlogged for two weeks and it is impossible to work there. One protester had to been pulled out of the mud – she was up to her knees in the muck.
But it must also be said that although the site is destroyed – no construction has taken place in the Valley.
The protesters cannot be there 24/7 and they need as much support as you people can give.

A closer view April 2007