God Save Ireland

I’m reading Chaos at the Crossroads, a heartbreaking book by Frank McDonald, Environment Editor of The Irish Times, and James Nix. (http://www.chaosatthecrossroads.com/) Basically it is a catalogue of the murder of Ireland by uncontrolled development, insane motorway building, unchecked pollution, and the destruction of heritage sites, all linked to political corruption and incompetence. I’m reading the book as research for the new version of The Light-Bearer’s Daughter. The original version covered the eco-warriors’ battle to protect the Glen of the Downs; a battle lost, and which soon proved to be only part of a bigger war. For even as they fought for the glen, the picturesque village of Kilmacanogue was destroyed. And now the royal demesne of Tara itself is threatened, as the gombeen government plans to run a motorway through it. (See http://www.taraskryne.org/.) Whenever readers abroad write to tell me that they hope to visit Ireland one day because of my descriptions of it, I die a little. For I wonder just how much of its beauty will be left when they get here.