Protecting The Hill of Tara... After 5,500 years, what’s another 10?

A few weeks back, this humble scribe experienced a frisson of excitement to hear that the long-awaited Hill of Tara Conservation Management Plan had been launched, following years of procrastination and prevarication by the various departments and agencies that have responsibility for the historic site and its surrounds.

According to the press release, the plan will provide a framework for the ongoing protection, conservation and management of the National Monument over the next decade.

The new conservation management plan proposes an action programme based on four key objectives, to be delivered over the lifetime of the plan. These are:

Protection: To protect and conserve the heritage on the State-owned lands at Tara, and maintain its cultural significance, integrity and authenticity, including its amenity and setting; Promotion: To promote awareness of the Hill of Tara and its significance; Interpretation: To manage and enhance the visitor experience on the Hill of Tara; Implementation: To implement the actions of the Tara Conservation Management Plan.

The 65-page publication however, doesn't tell us much that we don't know already. It is amazing that it has taken this long, after decades of local campaigning, to state the obvious. But the fact that the plan has finally seen the light of day is a positive step.

The drafting of the plan was directed by a steering group comprising representatives from the National Monuments Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Office of Public Works, the Discovery Programme, the Heritage Council and Meath County Council. (Maybe that's the first problem – there are too many cooks!)

Public and stakeholder consultation led by the Heritage Council (in 2018) contributed to identifying sustainable policies and objectives.

So out of all this, came a 'Vision Statement': “The Hill of Tara is a unique cultural landscape of international significance where visitors experience both tangible and intangible links to those who occupied the site for over 5,500 years. Recognising this, the objective is to protect, conserve and promote an appreciation of the Hill of Tara by having in place a robust management framework that will ensure that its significance is maintained for present and future generations.”

Thank God for that.

The initial part if the report, the first 40 pages or so, gives us a history lesson on the Hill of Tara and the consultation process, before we get to conservation issues and site vulnerabilities.

These included the condition of the archaeological monuments on the hill (generally well preserved); with significant human impacts between the eighteenth and mid-twentieth centuries relating to agricultural activity, land division, quarrying and treasure hunting; ploughing and cultivation of lands didn't help, nor did the construction of field boundaries.

Changes in land use and weather patterns, and an increase in visitor numbers since the lands were taken into State ownership have resulted in greater incidence of physical impact and erosion. The principal sources of erosion currently affecting the complex are pedestrian traffic and sports training. Some damage is being caused through intensive use of the site as a training ground – this includes individual runners and those engaged in team training – with stud marks evident across the site and on a number of monuments. (No more All-Irelands will be won up there!)

Capacity issues

The report highlights the long-standing problem of how Tara cannot cope with the visitor numbers.

Office of Public Works figures indicate there were over 100,000 visitors in the first half of 2021. Approximately half of those who visit do so on a regular basis; the primary aim of such visits is not to see the monuments but to enjoy a walk in a beautiful location. Therefore, for many the hill functions much like an urban park. The infrastructure is not sufficiently robust to cope with the growth in the number of visitors to Tara, the report acknowledges. The hill is accessed primarily by cars or coaches which must negotiate narrow country roads, many of which do not have the capacity to cope with heavy vehicular usage. The number of vehicles on these roads causes safety issues for pedestrians and cyclists. At the village of Tara there are two car parks – one small public car park at the main entrance to the site in the ownership of Meath County Council and one larger privately owned car park. Many cars and coaches park along roadsides causing inconvenience to those who live on approaches to the hill and putting the road network under considerable pressure.

Upon arrival at the site, visitors often find the main access point crowded. In addition, around the time of the summer solstice, the presence and behaviour of some unauthorised campers near the entrance has been intimidating to visitors and staff on site. There is limited access for people with restricted mobility and other disabilities.

The absence of any directional signage to navigate the site is disconcerting for some visitors, and the current pathways and grassland management can cause difficulties for some. A number of dog owners let their dogs off the leash, which causes fouling and is a concern for other visitors, especially those with small children.

Interpretation panels at the main site entrance Office of Public Works guides operate from the church between mid-May and mid-September and some unregulated private guiding services also operate.

A video is shown to visitors at the church which effectively acts as a seasonal visitor centre. Directions to the church are not clear and the entrance to the church is somewhat unwelcoming. Changes to the main entrance gates were primarily undertaken to improve universal access and large information boards tell the story of the site at this the main access point.

The interpretation boards were placed at this point to protect the uncluttered character of the hill; however, the amount of information is considerable and it is observed that visitors tend not to read it all before moving on to the site.

On the hill itself, the only markers are the 1960s signs marking some of the principal monuments with their Irish and English names and there is no individual interpretation afforded.

Proposals

There are 23 objectives and actions proposed in this plan for the State-owned lands at Tara, which reflect the vision and priorities of the Steering Group, and which were informed by comments and views expressed through the consultation process.

Over the next two years a framework for monitoring the impacts of climate change on the site will be developed.

The plan’s emphasis also balances the need to facilitate sustainable public access and provide a visitor experience of the highest quality befitting the significance of the site, with the imperative to protect the heritage of the site. To that end, measures to facilitate sustainable access for arrival to site respecting its setting, significance and environs, having regard to traffic and parking issues, public transport, cycling and pedestrians will be implemented over coming years, the report states.

It isn't clear what these are yet – as an Implementation Group will be established, comprising representatives of those bodies who sat on the steering group.

It is stated that the management plan is a dynamic document, yet the Implementation Group only plans on meeting twice yearly over the next 10 years, with the plan being reviewed after the first five.

But then, what's 10 years when you are looking at a site of over five millennia old?