RESIDENTS LIVING near Ashford Castle are to stage a protest at the luxury hotel on Saturday over what they claim are moves by its new owners to deny them access to the grounds and amenities.
Locals in Cong village, on the Galway/Mayo border, say that they have enjoyed unrestricted access for generations to the precincts of the 85-bedroom, five-star hotel and its rolling 350 acres, much of it woodland.
However, they claim problems have arisen since the castle changed ownership last year. The new owner is Galway businessman Gerry Barrett, who reportedly paid €50 million to the previous owners, a consortium of Irish-American business interests which included Sir Anthony O'Reilly, of Independent News and Media.
Following a well-attended meeting on Tuesday night it was announced that a protest march would be held from the main gates to the castle at 5 pm on Saturday.
Local businessman Thomas Ryan, the spokesman for the protesters, said: "Access has become more of a problem. This began to happen shortly after the change of ownership.
"We are hoping to rectify this. Traditionally, the local community has always been been welcome in the castle precincts."
In a statement, Edward Holdings, which became owners of Ashford Castle from the end of last March, said they were currently in the design phase of a project which would more than double employment on the estate from 189 staff to 374 when completed.
It said that in the interim the owners had to restrict some vehicular access in the garden area and within the enclosed grounds of the castle for health and safety reasons.
"One of the matters we would like to discuss with local community representatives is how we can facilitate continued pedestrian access during the process of renovation," the statement concluded.
The 700-year-old castle is situated on the edge of beautiful woodland on the northern shore of Lough Corrib.