COLM O'BRIEN,
Sir, - I am experiencing the all-too-familiar feeling of déjà vu while reading of the imminent and apparently "unavoidable" destruction of the remains of Carrickmines Castle (January 16th). Here we go again, the destruction of more of our irreplaceable heritage for, yes, another road.
Putting aside the questionable wisdom of planning for the unrestrained use of the private car in the first place, other questions still need to be asked. For example, why was the route of the road in question not better planned at the outset? Presumably the whole purpose of carrying out archaeological investigations in advance of such schemes is to ascertain if the proposed route will damage historic remains and to inform the design process accordingly. Otherwise, why bother? Surely the road could be skewed slightly to avoid the site, even at this stage? It would seem that the "planners" who think up these road schemes are as lacking in imagination as their plans are immutable.
The solution to the problem is glaringly obvious to the rest of us: build a bridge over the historic site! A simple, short-span, low-level structure, sufficient to leapfrog the castle remains and save them for present and future study. After all, dangerous, noisy, polluting, destructive and unsustainable private motor transport won't be with us forever. It would be nice to leave something else behind for posterity! - Yours, etc.,
COLM O'BRIEN, Riversdale Park, Dublin 20.