Tara Skreen

And that was about as close as we got to heart of the matter in the Dáil Environment Committee's trip to see at first hand the route of the proposed M3 Motorway through the Tara Skreen Valley. In this pic we're huddled from the cold beside the church on top of the Hill of Skreen with Tara in the background.

It's incredible how people like Michael Egan (second from the right) the Head of Corporate Affairs for the National Roads Authority woops ... try this, are so convinced of the merits of their road proposals.

PS 2 Feb. 2005

I'm delighted that the Discovery Programme and the Heritage Council are expressing publicly their concerns at the routing of the road through this rich archaeological landscape

Bewleys and all that...

The coffee's undrinkable, the buns are inedible, but it should be saved. Bewley's Cafes appear to be reaching the end of the road.

The State should acquire the Grafton Street and Westmorland Street Cafes, and franchise out the cafes. They add to the social, economic and cultural life of Dublin. The National Trust acquired the Crown Bar in Belfast.

Twenty years ago the coffee was drinkable and the milk came from the Jersey cows on the Bewley Family farm.

Bewleys and all that...

Bewley's should be a Parisian-style Bistro with great coffee, real fires, good food, the interior restored to c. 1975, decent banquette seating, the Harry Clarke windows carefully displayed, and the mix of customers that it once cultivated.

It could also be a showpiece for Irish Food and drink if the State acquired it and leased it out or operated it carefully.

Here's our Dáil Motion on the issue:

Ahhh..., the Economist

'Ireland's transformation, will it last?' is the message on the billboards. As always the Economist uses a tongue in cheek image to publicise their magazine. This time its a champagne flute of Guinness for their supplement on Ireland.

Given the rise in excess alcohol consumption of recent years a pint glass full of champagne might have been more appropriate, but that might not work wonders for the magazine's sales in the Republic.

Friends of the Earth Ireland

Friends of the Earth Ireland are launched in Dublin Castle. Their naked politicians parade around the front gate of Leinster House, but sadly failed to pursue Dick Roche TD, our new Minister for the Environment who wandered past.

Great speeches by Mark Deary (FOE Ireland), John Woods (FOE Northern Ireland) and Tony Juniper (FOE UK).

They appear to be filling the void left by the demise of Earthwatch which was a great campaigning voice for the environment based in Cork for many years

Residents Against Racism

Residents Against Racism march to Dáil Éireann. Ruairi Quinn gives a good speech to the crowd. There are many Nigerians , Romanians and younger Irish citizens present. I add my tuppence ha'penny worth. It's a lot more fun addressing a live crowd outside the Dáil than an empty chamber with a bored Junior Minister sitting across from you.

I liked the way the tricolour was highly visible in the crowd.

Join the Dots

We re-launch the 'Join the Dots' campaign at Stephens Green. Eamon Ryan, Trevor Sargent and myself distribute a few dozen postcards to postcards at the Stephen's Green Luas stop. People seem fairly enthusiastic and TV3 turn up to take a few clips

car free day Dublin style...

Not a great turn out for the Critical Mass Rally on car free day. Other European cities seem to be providing more encouragement to leave the car at home. 22september.org has the details.