The Glen

Mr Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters, and guests.

In December this year, our government intends to break the law.

There is a place beyond Bray, just at the beginning of what we know as the Garden of Ireland, called Glen of the Downs. Some of you may be aware of what is happening there through recent media coverage. The Glen is a natural oak woodland area covering some 95 hectares. It is a listed area of Scientific Interest and also a designated National Nature Reserve and therefore it is protected under the 1976 Wildlife act.

The Glen is a beautiful area; big old oak trees cover both sides of the valley, and down at the bottom, a river meanders, ash and hazel trees grow everywhere.

It is home to an amazing array of flora and fauna making it one of the most important areas of ornithological, botanical and zoological significance in the entire country. Several species of endangered butterfly have their only home here. It is also the home of deer, the endangered red squirrel and, perhaps even more importantly, it is the only home on Earth of the non-biting midge. The Glen is also one of the few indigenous oak woodland areas left in Europe.

At the moment a two line road bisects the woodland. Wicklow County Council plan to upgrade this road to motorway status as part of the Euroroute project. This means the road will expand to a four lane road, with central reservation and hard shoulders. In order to achieve this, the official figure is that some 1700 trees will be killed. The government's own environmental impact studies, of which there have been 2 so far, have shown that although the area of the proposed construction does not extend back as far as the river, it will result in it's destruction; effectively destroying the whole area.

The government has commissioned another study, presumably in the hopes that, third time lucky, they'll get an answer they like; although they seem to be quite willing to ignore the results of any study - The diggers are scheduled to start their destruction in late December.

I first got to hear about the Glen through a friend of mine, Robert, who designed the Glen Internet page (which, incidentally you can contact at connec.ie/emc/glen). I became involved almost immediately because it annoyed me that not only was our government intending to break the law, which I'm sure happens all the time, but also that they have the audacity to attempt to destroy yet another part of this beautiful land, without our permission.

The situation in the Glen of the Downs is of vital importance. As I have already said, the Glen is protected, by law, under the Wildlife act, and in supporting the proposed Euroroute project, the government and the EU commissioner will set a dangerous legal precedent. I, for one, do not wish to live in a Europe where our sacred and protected sites are not sacred to or protected from those who would destroy them. The law is our final recourse, will we stand by and watch it be broken?

An ever increasing number of concerned individuals are taking up residence in the Glen, living in tents and tree houses. As one camper said to me "All is well, this is our home now and nobody is going to destroy it. We are going to win". These devoted people intend to stay in the Glen until it's safety has been guaranteed.

I offered my services to ferry people and equipment to and from the Glen. So, two weeks ago a convoy of cars set out on Saturday evening toward the Glen, loaded down with equipment - tents, hammers, nails, rope, climbing harnesses, food torches, and; of course, eco-warriors.

When we got there it was dark so lanterns were lit, torches switched on, and we made our way to the main campsite, a large clearing by the bank of the river. A lot of people were gathered around the camp fire, kettle constantly on the boil, mugs of coffee and home made beer passing around. Deciding to find out more about what was going on I joined a discussion in the 'town hall', a framework made from collected wood covered by a large tarpaulin. 20 people were crammed into the town hall discussing the logistics of what is becoming an increasingly bigger and more complicated operation. Everything was discussed; recycling rubbish, collecting materials for building tree houses, organising open days to attract public attention, setting up video shoots for news programs.

The meeting ended with strategies planned; clipboards and notepads were put away. Tomorrow would begin a new week, but for now, it was time to laugh and celebrate.

A merry caravan of people made their way across the river to another clearing, brandishing variously, torches, lanterns, candles, bongos and tin whistles. Another, bigger fire, was blazing here. Everyone sat down around the fire, and what was to follow will remain with me for a long, long time. Candles were lit to the north, east, south and west; and then a young lady asked for silence; the music faded, the laughs and shouts became whispers. She introduced herself as a member of one of the oldest religious traditions known; druidism. We were to witness a druidic wedding which would bind two people together for a year and a day, after which time they would return to the same place and renew their pledge for life. It was a simple ceremony where the couple took turns to stand up and tell the gathering why they were there and what the other meant to them. They then lit a candle each, and this was followed by a few words from the druid. And that was it. A tin whistle struck up a jubilant traditional Irish air. Bongos, badhran's, and singers joined in and soon one of the best wedding receptions I have been to was going on around the campfire.

What struck me most about that ceremony was the simplicity and the beauty of it. Two people declaring their love for each other, under the stars and amongst the trees. And if the Glen was destroyed, this marvellous event could not have taken place. This alone is enough to make me and many other people stand up and say "no, you will not destroy the Glen, because I won't let you".