The information on this page may also be of interest to people who used to live in or around The Parish of Bullaun & New Inn, and who now reside in other parts of the Republic of Ireland. Many are also believed to be living in places such as The United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), The United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and so on.

It would be much appreciated if you could pass on the address of this page to anyone who you feel might be interested in its contents.

The Historical Links with the Fionn-Sneachta name

As is shown on a separate page at this site, The Annals of Ireland by The Four Masters mention a cluster of Celtic Kings directly connected with the "Fionn-Sneachta" family of surnames. There is reason to believe that it may be just one of a number of similar clusters which possibly exist in other parts of the work. (We have only hurriedly checked through some of the first 57 pages of Volume 1, and there are six, or possibly seven, volumes in all.)

The main threats to ancient Celtic sites (and the environment) in East Galway

The Local Council (which is Galway County Council) is at the present time (April 2001) dealing with four major East Galway civil engineering projects. These involve a huge new superdump, a new motorway, a new gas pipeline network, and a new high power electricity distribution system. Planning for these projects is taking place in circumstances where major doubts exist regarding the track record of Galway County Council in relation to the protection of ancient Celtic monuments (and the general environment). Irrefutable evidence of the outrageously poor type of track record we have in mind (in connection with the "Protected" Monument known as Site 93 in New Inn), has been sent to Prime Minister Mr. Bertie Ahern TD in a letter dated October 26th 2000.

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Turoe's importance

The world famous Turoe Stone is located in the Turoe area.  It is thought to be the most famous piece of Celtic stone art in existence. This particular decorated stone (by itself) strongly suggests the presence of a very important royal Celtic site in this particular place; and it is something of a huge mystery that Turoe and the surrounding area has not already been thoroughly examined archaeologically by professional archaeologists using modern electronic archaeological tools (such as ground penetrating radar, for example). The situation seems all the more puzzling when account is taken of the fact that nearby Galway University has had an archaeological department for many years now: and which apparently has all the sophisticated electronic archaeological equipment in question (as can be seen by following the link to their web site on the line below).

In recent times (i.e. the past two years or so), University College Galway appears to have spent a lot of time and money investigating the royal Celtic site at Rathcrogan: which is in the Tulsk area of County Roscommon. (We would not wish to question in any way the value of the work carried out by Galway University at Rathcrogan: our concern regarding this matter relates to the question of where County Galway, and in particular East County Galway, appears on the list of priorities that Galway University use for choosing their archaeological projects???)

Much more recent evidence of a royal Celtic site in the Turoe area has appeared in the form of a set of notes from Research Scientist Dr. Kieran Jordan. These notes are based on research work carried out in and around the Turoe area over a forty year period by amateur archaeologist Fr. Tom O'Connor.

CAUTION:
In case anybody might be tempted to trivialise, or to be unduly dismissive of the work of amateur archaeologists, it may be worth pointing out here that the hugely important La Téne Celtic site in Switzerland was first discovered by an amateur archaeologist (named Hansli Kopp).

Superdump

There was a well attended anti-superdump protest walk on November 21st 1999 in the parish of Bullaun and New Inn (which is where the Turoe Stone is located). This event was attended by a dozen or so local politicians who all spoke out very strongly against the whole idea of a superdump for Connacht being placed in the parish (which of course could have shocking consequences for the local environment). Two national TV crews were present to record events (for TG4 and TV3); and included among the politicians who spoke at the meeting which followed this very peaceful protest march was Minister of State Mr. Noel Treacy TD: who comes from the area, and whose home is just 10 miles or so from the Turoe Stone. (Government Ministers & Ministers of State)

The above mentioned protest march does not appear to have produced any useful results whatsoever by way of having the Turoe area removed from the list of 3 sites earmarked for possible use as a superdump location. Not only that, and a very bad sign some believe, is the fact that Galway County Council later spent a considerable sum of money having the road widened in the Cross area of the parish (i.e. in October 2000): exactly where the entrance to the site earmarked for the proposed superdump is located. As far as we know, there has not been any equivalent expenditure at either of the other two East Galway sites that have been earmarked for possible superdump use (in the Newbridge and Kilreekil areas).

Recently, the Minister for Environment and Local Government (Mr Noel Dempsey TD) has decided to strip local politicians of most of their powers regarding waste management decisions (including the use and location of superdumps). Minister Dempsey's views on the matter can be seen at the www address in the following link: Minister Dempsey's Statement. A copy of the new Bill Mr Dempsey plans to introduce is also available through the same www page. (For those who may not have the necessary "pdf" software to view the text of the Bill, we understand that free copies can be downloaded from the following address: pdf software.)

If Minister Dempsey's Bill goes through, it appears that some small community in East Galway will (in effect) be saddled with an enormous superdump for Connacht by Central Government 100 miles away in Dublin: regardless of what the local people in the selected community feel, think, say, or do. Should this happen, it seems likely that many will find themselves wondering about the government's true attitude to the principles of the democratic system; and if they choose the Turoe area for the superdump site, there will probably be additional speculation about the government's real attitude regarding the dozens and dozens of ancient Celtic sites scattered all around the place: which includes the original location of the world famous Turoe Stone.

It has been estimated by some that a superdump for Connacht in the Turoe area will mean that an extra 150 or so large trucks (rubbish trucks that is) per day will need to enter and leave the tiny parish of Bullaun and New Inn: through small country roads that have evolved only slightly from the days of the donkey and cart, and that were never intended for anything remotely like that kind of heavy traffic.

Department of Environment and Local Government

Minister Dempsey's Press Office

Minister Dempsey's Dept

Motorway

A printed copy of an email dated March 5th 2001 to the Attorney General which contains references (in the "Query 3" section) to the proposed new motorway has been sent through the registered post to:
The Planning Engineer
N6 Galway to East Ballinasloe Project
Galway County Council.

The Galway County Council Motorway Project Engineer (Mr Ciaran Wynne) has acknowledged receipt of the March 5th email information referred to above.

Gas Pipe Line

At the present time (April 4th 2001), we have little or no information on this project. So far, it seems to be the one that is least mentioned by the local media.

Electricity Network

Front page headlines in the April 6th 2001 edition of The Connacht Tribune Newspaper state that planning permission has been granted by Galway County Council for a £30 million pound ESB (Electricity Supply Board) project involving 30 miles of cable and masts - designed to carry the most powerful supply of electricity ever installed in the West of Ireland.

An examination of the aerial photographs very clearly shows that the cable and mast system runs very close to several ancient Celtic monuments. In at least one case, it actually passes right through the middle (almost) of a very interesting looking ancient monument in the Moyoda / Rathgorgan area - which is approximately 4 miles due west of Knocknadala: the ancient "Hill of Parliament" site referred to in Research Scientist Dr. Kieran Jordan's Notes.

Members of the public wishing to see the ESB aerial photographs referred to above can do so by visiting the planning office on the ground floor of the Galway County Council Offices at County Hall, Prospect Hill, Galway City (9am to1pm, and 2pm to 4pm Monday to Friday). Their file reference number is: 005409, and the ESB drawing reference showing the interesting looking site referred to in the paragraph above is Drawing No. TD 15405 (Sheet 20 of 69).

The situation regarding the closeness of several "protected" monuments to the cable and mast system was pointed out to Planning Enforcement Officer Mr. Enda Hoey, and to Acting Senior Staff Officer Ms Mary Killoran-Coyne on Wednesday April 11th 2001. Both appeared to feel, and to agree, that something was not right regarding the overall situation.

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