Silent Majority welcomes opportunity to share local knowledge during Cultural and Heritage Week
The Silent Majority Community Group has welcomed the opportunity to contribute to Cultural and Heritage Week at the Dalradian Public Inquiry, describing it as an important opportunity for local voices and community knowledge to be heard.
Three members of the group attended and contributed evidence based on their long-standing knowledge of the local area and its history. In addition, written statements from other members of The Silent Majority were read into Inquiry evidence.
Chairman of The Silent Majority, Mr Gerry Kelly, said: “Our members welcomed the opportunity to contribute local knowledge and lived experience to the discussion. Between them, they have decades of knowledge of the area and its history. It is important that culture and heritage is understood and accurately represented.
“During the hearings, much discussion focused on claims regarding archaeological features, mass rocks, and other cultural sites. While there are recognised and recorded mass rocks within the wider district, none of our members are aware of any mass rock within the vicinity of the proposed mine site prior to the Dalradian project becoming the subject of organised opposition. Likewise, the historical record contains no mass rock in the vicinity of the proposed mine site before Dalradian’s plans became public in 2016.
“As stated by Dalradian at the inquiry, when carrying out legal and historical due diligence on acquisition of land, no such feature was identified. Indeed, it was pointed out that none of the legal parties conducting searches at the time identified any mass rock or other cultural site. This further highlights concerns that aspects of cultural and heritage matters have been hijacked by objectors seeking to frustrate the Dalradian proposal.”
The group also rejected suggestions that industrial development is somehow incompatible with local culture, language, or identity.
“People do not lose their culture because investment comes to an area, and communities do not lose their heritage because jobs are created. You only have to look at other parts of Tyrone, where a strong manufacturing, industrial and extractive heritage has developed alongside local traditions and community life,” continued Mr Kelly.
“County Meath is renowned for the Boyne Valley and its extraordinary concentration of important cultural and historical sites, many stretching back thousands of years. Yet, Tara Mines, one of Europe’s largest zinc mines, operates within the county and has brought generations of employment and economic prosperity to Navan without diminishing the area's cultural significance.
“Further afield, there are many examples where industry and heritage exist side-by-side. Mining itself forms an important part of the cultural identity of many regions. Cornwall is perhaps the best-known example where mining heritage is celebrated as part of the area's identity and cultural heritage. Industry and cultural heritage are not opposing forces, indeed they can and do complement one another.
“Our community's heritage is strong enough to coexist with economic opportunity, investment, and jobs for future generations.”
The Silent Majority Community Group has said it will continue to engage constructively with the Public Inquiry process as it moves into the remaining topic areas.