OK - I've been, refreshed the mind and saw the hill. Brought the kids, and let them runaround. One is old enough to talk about these things. The other was cold ! Winter cold that is. But he was thrilled when telling him stories.

What I saw was a vista worth remembering. From the top a view all round to counties far away. No motorway will stop that. But also an archeological treasure.

Let me explain - I'm not an archeologist by any stretch. I watch on TV programmes like 'Time team' who survey ground sites in flat fields and when digging trenches show where trenches and pits lay. Computer graphics put it together to give the impression and altogether a nice feeling when they put together the pots and brooches on the computer.

On Tara - no need for computers or ground radar. No drawing lines on a map. But you could walk freely over the mounds left from the sites where buildings where. The whole encampment spoke to you. Someone lived here ! A sense of scale and belonging was there. Here was where the high King sat. Here is the field leading up to the entrance. Inside the gap in the mound the site breaks into two halves. The massive ditches surrounding the mounds.The height and size of the circular form of the mounds.You knew you were walking in history.

Yes it was only grass, could be left over spoil from a building site for all I know, but the schools thought me my history (I've forgotten most)and I could always find a book to read more and look at the pictures. But nothing beats walking that spot to bring it to life.

Thank you Brendy for the Map - it puts peace to mind the site of Tara hill itself will be left alone. But the accompanying letter from experts (!) asks for it to be stopped due to the wider area. Do they know better ? than me yes !

If lesser impact was wanted why not double the width of the existing N3 ? It's a straighter road ! A bypass of Dunshaughlin would suffice - Navan already has a bypass (in need of proper links maybe.)

Progress is important ! Glen of the downs - build the road ! Carrickmines castle - dig it, learn from it and road around or over it. But the Boyne valley, with Tara, Newgrange and numerous site - lets thread carefully and slowly.

I'm glad I went up ! And glad I signed the petition, and yes I will write a letter !

Interstingly - My Son of 13yrs - couldn't interest him in a hillwalk if you paid him.... admitted to Mum that he enjoyed it ! That was worth every bit of it.